The island of New Guinea hosts Earth’s third-largest tract of intact tropical forest, after the Amazon and Congo rainforests. It contains 7% of the world’s biodiversity, 30% of which is limited to the island. At least 49 out of 335 global species of marsupial survive here in the wild. These include 12 of the 14 known species of tree kangaroo, marsupials that have adapted to climb and live in trees.

In the spectacular Torricelli Mountain Range in the northwestern area of the island, an ancient virgin forest laced with waterfalls faces growing threats from industrial-scale logging, mining, and hunting. Shockingly, zero percent of this richly biodiverse region is officially protected. Hunting has devastated the populations of two tree kangaroo species found here, the Tenkile and the Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo, which are now critically endangered.

Rainforest Trust will support our local partner, Tenkile Conservation Alliance Inc. (TCA), as they work with Indigenous Peoples from 43 villages to protect 148,000 acres of their ancestral territories against commercial exploitation through legal agreements called “Conservation Deeds.” TCA plans to secure an overlapping designation of Community Conservation Area (CCA) to further safeguard biodiversity and the rights of Indigenous communities.

Header photo: Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo/Weimang, photo courtesy of TCAI

Save Rare Marsupials and Other Species in Papua New Guinea

The Tenkile’s population numbers are precariously low, with only about 200 mature individuals surviving. This project will protect 40% of its global range in one of the last strongholds of intact habitat and protect 30% of Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo range. Two other critically endangered, endemic marsupial species in the Torricelli Mountains are also in urgent need of protection: the Northern Glider is restricted to less than 25,000 acres, and an encouraging 75% of its global range will be protected under this project, along with habitat for the Black-spotted Cuscus.

Support Collaborative Conservation

Our partner has worked for two decades with Indigenous communities, government, and other stakeholders in the Torricelli Mountains to establish voluntary, sustainable conservation and management of the fragile rainforest. They have helped local people develop livelihood alternatives that are reducing hunting of marsupials, allowing the populations of tree kangaroos to stabilize.

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