16 Oct
2006 - Gland, Switzerland – A series of expeditions
by WWF scientists into previously unexplored areas
of tropical rainforest in Papua New Guinea have
revealed new orchid species previously unknown
to science.
Over the course of expeditions
to PNG's Kikori region between 1998 and 2006,
WWF teams collected some 300 species of orchids.
Of those collected, eight have been confirmed
as new species, while 20 more have yet to be verified
as new.
PNG already has more recorded
orchid species than any other country in the world.
“The island of New Guinea is
an incredible goldmine of orchids,” said Wayne
Harris, a botanist from Queensland Herbarium in
Australia and one of the world’s leading authorities
on orchids. “There are over 3,000 known species
found here with countless varieties undoubtedly
yet to be discovered.”
WWF, together with the Kutubu
Joint Venture Partnership, is working towards
the long-term conservation of the Kikori region
and the amazing diversity of plants and animals
that it supports. The region is one of the last
areas in PNG that includes such a variety of different
forest habitats. Along with orchids and other
plant-life, these remarkable forests are home
to some of the country's most unique wildlife,
such as birds of paradise, giant cassowaries and
the enigmatic tree kangaroo.
The announcement of the disovery
comes just a week ahead of the official launch
of two new wildlife management areas, which will
protect significant areas of rainforest where
these orchids have been found.
WWF’s work in conserving the
Kikori region is also vital to local communities.
More than 20,000 people, from 12 different ethnic
groups, live in the area and rely on the natural
resources of its forests and streams for their
subsistence livelihood.
“The discovery of such a large
number of new orchid species is incredibly exciting,”
said WWF Forest Ecologist Olo Gebia.
“The sad reality is that many
of these plants, including those which may contain
cures to some of the world’s most deadly diseases,
may become extinct before they have even been
discovered. This gives even greater urgency to
ensuring the long-term conservation of this remarkable
region.”
END NOTES:
• WWF carried out orchid surveys
in the Kikori catchment area in 1998, 2000, and
more recently, from 27 July to 3 August 2006.
An orchid field guide will be produced using the
data collected.
• In 1993, with the PNG National
Executive Council’s approval, WWF Kikori River
Programme established an integrated conservation
and development project in 2.3 million hectares
of tropical rainforest in the Southern Highlands
and Gulf Provinces of Papua New Guinea.
• The Kutubu Joint Venture Partnership
is a consortium of companies managing oil and
gas fields in the Kikori Basin. WWF has a decade-long
engagement with the partnership to demonstrate
best practice in the oil and gas operations in
the area.
Lydia Kaia, Communications Officer - WWF Papua
New Guinea
Soh Koon Chng, Communications Manager - WWF Global
Forests Programme
