Papua New Guinea

Flora and Fauna

A great percentage of Papua New Guinea's land mass is covered by dense blanket of rainforests and exotic tangle of vines, creepers, flowers, plants and trees. Orchids blaze from the green ground of rainforest canopy. Papua New Guinea has a greater number of orchid species than any other country in the world.

Bird life proliferates in the forests of Papua New Guinea, including the many species of the birds of paradise. Of the 43 known species of birds of paradise, 38 are found in Papua New Guinea. These brilliantly coloured birds perform bizzare ritualistic and mating dances were hunted by early traders for their feathers.

Most animals in Papua New Guinea are marsupials, descendants from those found in Australia. Although not indigenous to New Guinea, pigs are a valuable source of food and an important status symbol among Highlands tribal people. Rusa deer more recent arrival, brought into the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya by Dutch colonists, they then crossed into the southwest of the country.

Also represented in Papua New Guinea are about 200 species of reptiles, including 13 different turtle species and 100 snakes. Papua New Guinea is a paradise for insects, and is home for the world's largest butterfly, Queen Alexandra Birdwing.