Oceania
Wildlife conservation in the islands to Australia’s near north and into the Pacific
In the Oceania region, wildlife species have small and restricted ranges that increase their vulnerability to introduced invasive species and habitat loss. Zoos Victoria’s global conservation partners are implementing solutions to enable a sustainable future for wildlife and people.
Port Moresby Nature Park
Leading conservation and education in Papua New Guinea.
With more than 145,000 visitors annually, the Port Moresby Nature Park is home to over 500 native animals and hundreds of plant species. This is Papua New Guinea's premier zoo and we’ve been close partners since 2013. The partnership is a whole-of-organisation relationship, based on sharing skills for staff development and across all aspects of zoo operations.
Our partnership focuses on:
- school and visitor education
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animal management and welfare
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conservation breeding, with emphasis on Papua New Guinea's native frogs
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wildlife rescue and veterinary care
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environmental sustainability
Société d’Ornithologie de Polynésie-Manu (SOP-Manu)
Conserving birds in the Marquesas Archipelago, some of the most remote islands in the world.
Introduced invasive species and habitat loss are affecting bird populations in French Polynesia. At least 14 species have been driven to extinction. Our partnership with SOP-Manu began in 2019 with a focus on the Fatu Hiva Monarch, whose wild population is a mere 19 birds.
Our partnership supports expanded bird conservation programs, including:
- Fatu Hiva Monarch - reducing impacts of avian malaria and controlling introduced cats and rats
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Polynesian Ground-dove - establishing a secure population on a predator-free island
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Rapa Fruit-dove - habitat restoration on Rapa Island
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Rapa Shearwater - rat control and habitat restoration for French Polynesia's only endemic seabird
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Tahiti Monarch - controlling introduced rats and birds and restoring habitat
Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program
Protecting wildlife and supporting people in Papua New Guinea's mountain forests.
Initiated by concerns over declining Matschie’s Tree-kangaroo populations, the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program supported local communities on Papua New Guinea's Huon Peninsula to establish the YUS Conservation Area - a first for the country. This has stabilised the population of Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo and protects their habitat with benefits to many other species.
Our partnership, which started in 2016, supports the Community Livelihood program of which YUS Conservation Coffee is a major component. This program:
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includes the YUS Conservation Coffee Cooperative, including financial literacy training
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benefits local communities through sales of coffee beans, which increases access to healthcare and education
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enables sale of YUS Conservation Coffee as part of Zoos Victoria’s Coffee for Wildlife campaign