Conservation programme celebrates 10th anniversary

A PROGRAMME to conserve endangered species of tree kangaroos and birds is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Programme in Kabwum distric, Morobe has also been conserving the tropical rainforest and its biodiversity.
Programme director Dr Lisa Dabek said they initially focused only on endangered species of tree kangaroo, biodiversity of the environment and land use but discovered other important biodiversity animals and plants.
“PNG has high biodiversity of plants and animals,” Dabek said.
Biologists and scientists have discovered 14 different species of tree kangaroos. Twelve are found only in PNG. Two are found in Northern Queensland while some are found in Indonesia.
They also found six different species of frogs in the conservation project area. The discovery was led by Australian scientist Dr Steven Richards. He was assisted by landowners from the Yus local level government in Kabwum.
“We gave a list for the proposed conservation area where the team looked at the birds, the frogs and the mammals. Dr Richards collected the frogs and found there were six unknown species.”
“There were more frogs at the lower land forest of Yus. Some of frogs were given scientific names,” dabek said.
The programme in the past 10 years has been able to have a better understanding of the birds.
“We also have a better understanding of the effect of climate change on animals. We need to do more work.”