Providence, RI – Roger Williams Park Zoo announced on December 14th the formation of a 50,000-acre wildlife conservation area in the Huon Peninsula of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
The area, which is three times the size of Providence, has been deemed a safe haven for rare, threatened and endangered species of animals and plants. In the future the conservation area is expected to grow to as much as 150,000 acres.
PNG, which is located on the island of New Guinea just northwest of Australia, contains some of the largest undisturbed montane (high-altitude) rainforests in the Southern Hemisphere and is considered one of only three remaining tropical wilderness areas on earth.
Vincent A. Cianci, Jr., Mayor of Providence said, "This is yet another incredible feat for our world-class zoo -–an achievement that not only reflects the zoo's commitment to delighting hundreds of thousands of visitors per year with outstanding exhibitry but to contribute significantly to worldwide conservation. For a zoo our size, it is unprecedented."
Considered to be one of 17 "mega-diverse" countries (those that are most densely packed with a wide variety of species), the PNG conservation area protects thousands of species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and plants, including some that are threatened or endangered, such as the Matschie's tree kangaroo, two species of birds of paradise and the long-beaked echidna. PNG is also home to the world's largest butterfly and over 700 species of birds, including the most parrot, pigeon and kingfisher species than anywhere else in the world.
The Conservation Area is the culmination of six years' worth of work done by the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) under the direction of Dr. Lisa Dabek, Director of Conservation and Research at Roger Williams Park Zoo.
The main objective of the program is to ensure the survival of the Matschie's tree kangaroo through habitat protection. A tree kangaroo is a marsupial found only in the rainforests of Australia; West Papua, Indonesia; and Papua New Guinea. Six out of the ten species of tree kangaroo are endemic to Papua New Guinea, and the Matschie's tree kangaroo is found only on the Huon Peninsula of PNG. All tree kangaroo species are considered endangered or threatened.
Roger Williams Park Zoo is headquarters for the TKCP that encompasses 17 international collaborators. Primary funding for the program comes from the Rhode Island Zoological Society and work is coordinated through the Tree Kangaroo Species Survival Program of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA).
Michael Hutchins, Director of Science and Conservation for the AZA said, "Roger Williams Park Zoo should be applauded for developing a model conservation program for others to follow. By working first to save the habitat in order to save a species, there is a much greater chance at long-term species survival."
Since 1996, TKCP staff have been working in PNG developing agreements with individual clans and landowners to set aside a portion of their lands for conservation. About 95% of PNG's lands are owned by customary landowners, passed down to them through the generations, making it necessary to work in a "grass roots" fashion in order to save precious habitat.
Said Dr. Dabek, "The landowners' close involvement in the program has given the people of PNG pride in their environment and, perhaps more importantly, the understanding that conserving it now will ensure the continuation of their customs, culture and livelihood in the future."
Mambawe Manauno, a village landowner from PNG who attended the announcement, echoed Dr. Dabek's sentiments, saying "Thank you America for helping us save our forest."
Roger Williams Park Zoo is owned and operated by the City of Providence and supported by the Rhode Island Zoological Society. For more information, contact the zoo at 401-785-3510 or log on to rogerwilliamsparkzoo.com
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