Nature

Papua New Guinea is a raw land, remarkably untamed and as variegated as swamp and jagged limestone, mud and moss forest, suffocating heat and Highland chill, plumed, pearl-shelled villagers and prosaic hill people, tiny tree kangaroos and enormous Queen Alexandra Birdwing butterflies. It is this diversity that has, for so long, excited a raft of explorers, anthropologists and travellers.

There are close to 9000 species of plants in PNG, most of them found in lowland rainforests. Around 250 species of mammals live in the islands, mostly bats and rats, but also including marsupials such as the tree kangaroo. There are also two kinds of echidnas (spiny anteaters). The real treat however is the 700 species of birds. There are more parrot, pigeon and kingfisher species - from huge crowned pigeons to delicate pygmy parrots - than anywhere else in the world. Other notable birds are giant cassowaries, kokomos (hornbills) and cockatoos. The highlights of the insect kingdom are the world's largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing (the first collected specimen was felled by a shotgun blast), and scarab beetles (which are often used as body ornaments).

Papua New Guinea has only four national parks, including Varirata National Park and McAdam National Park, but more have been proposed. The major problems facing the environment and its flora and fauna are logging and heavy-metal pollution from copper mines such as Panguna on Bougainville Island (currently closed) and Ok Tedi in the Star Mountains.

The climate is typically monsoonal: hot, humid and wet year-round. There are defined wet (December to March) and dry (May to October) seasons, but both are subject to regional variation (especially in the islands). Rainfall, for example, varies tremendously: Port Moresby may experience an annual rainfall of 1000mm (39in) while Lae has over 4500mm (176in). In extreme rainfall areas, such as West New Britain, the annual rainfall can exceed 6m (20ft) a year. Temperatures on the coast are reasonably stable all year (hovering between 25° and 30°C/77 and 86°F) but humidity and winds are changeable. Temperatures drop at higher altitudes, and it can be very chilly in the Highlands.

Here are some of the links to our flora and fauna:  

	Amidst ancient rainforests and dazzling coral reefs, discover a new conservation and research facility. MAHONIA NA DARI CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE provides a headquarters for marine and terrestrial research to support the conservation of some of the worlds richest natural environment.
	ECOTOURISM MELANESIA is a Port Moresby-based tour operator specialising in ecotourism experiences in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Our aim is to encourage overseas visitors to travel to the rural areas so that more tourism dollars will go directly into the pockets of local people, giving them a viable alternative to less enviro-friendly forms of income like logging and mining.
	Tenkile Conservation Alliance : This site is all about tree-kangaroos and a project to help in their conservation.
	The National Research Institute: Its purpose is to conduct research activities which address the critical social, political, legal, cultural, economic, educational, and development related challenges facing the nation.
	The Insect Farming & Trading Agency is PNG's largest offical butterfly 'ranching'and marketing project. Currently nearly 2000 national village farmers and collectors are involved in this forest friendly and ecologically sustainable project.
	The Rainforest Habitat houses PNG's largest native animal collection, including the largest array of Birds of Paradise kept anywhere in the world.
	Dedicated to Ending Industrial Log Export and Fostering Community Based Eco-Forestry and Protected Areas.