MAF supports PNG’s endangered tree kangaroos

A Weimang tree kangaroo in TCA’s sanctuary in Lumi, PNG (credit: Mandy Glass)

This year’s ‘World Tree Kangaroo Day’ saw leaders of PNG’s remote rainforest villages sign the latest moratorium against hunting tree kangaroos for meat. Campaign leader ‘Tenkile Conservation Alliance’ says ‘it would be hard to operate without MAF’ who has been delivering essential supplies, alternative food sources and services to these communities for over 20 years. MAF’s Mandy Glass reports

Papua New Guinea’s tropical rainforest is the third largest in the world and exclusively home to six species of tree kangaroos (source: UNDP).

Today, a total of 14 species can be found in the world (Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Australia) but according to Tenkile Conservation Alliance, only 100 Tenkile tree kangaroos existed 20 years ago.

Half of the world’s tree kangaroo species are still endangered today.

Historically, communities from the Torricelli Mountains, Sandaun Province in the heart of PNG’s rainforest would hunt and kill these animals for meat, driving them to the brink of extinction.

Welcome to Tenkile Conservation Alliance in Lumi, PNG (credit: Mandy Glass)

When conservationists Jim and Jean Thomas learnt about the plight of these endangered species, they founded the award-winning ‘Tenkile Conservation Alliance’ (TCA) in Lumi in a bid to prevent their extinction.

Since 2003, TCA has been working in partnership with the communities of Torricelli providing alternative, sustainable solutions to protect the most endangered tree kangaroos: the Tenkile (aka Scott’s Tree Kangaroo), the Weimang (aka Golden-Mantled Tree Kangaroo) and the Finsch’s (aka Grizzled).

Today, TCA closely works with 50 villages (around 13,000 people) who own the Torricelli Mountain Range Conservation Area (TMRCA).

Through raising awareness, community development, provision of alternative, sustainable food sources and implementing clearly designated hunting and non-hunting zones, TCA and the TMRCA are successfully reversing the plight of tree kangaroos and increasing their population.

With MAF’s support, the region’s biodiversity is protected.

This protected Weimang tree kangaroo won’t be hunted for meat (credit: Mandy Glass)

‘We would find it hard to operate without MAF’

The terrain of Lumi is very rugged and not served by any roads. It’s only accessible by foot or by plane. All supplies are either flown in by MAF or carried on foot for many hours.

Lumi can only be accessed by foot or by plane (credit: Mandy Glass)

Pilot Mathias Glass flies people to Lumi, which saves them many hours of overland travel (credit: Mandy Glass)

In this region, it’s not uncommon for people to walk for six hours and back to pick up their wages.

MAF connects Lumi to towns and cities like Wewak (east), Mount Hagen (central) and Port Moresby (south) where there are hospitals, banks and other facilities /services.

MAF’s 50-minute flight from Lumi to Wewak saves passengers an entire day of overland travel. Mount Hagen and PNG’s capital Port Moresby are a lot further away.

‘Roads’ servicing these urban parts of PNG can be both exhausting and dangerous given the number of potholes, landslides, road accidents and the likelihood of encountering unsavoury gangs.

In short, CEO of TCA Jim Thomas says he couldn’t carry out his life’s work without MAF:

‘We have used the valuable service of MAF for over 20 years. MAF has transported valuable cargo for us including live rabbits and chickens, which provide an alternative protein source to rainforest communities and help prevent the critically endangered Tenkile and Weimang tree kangaroos from becoming extinct.

‘We would find it hard to operate without MAF. The impact MAF has in this region of PNG is massive and is the only reliable means of getting anywhere in Sandaun Province and East Sepik.’

Jim Thomas, CEO of Tenkile Conservation Alliance

MAF supports sustainable development

TCA’s Caleb Bulu wants to conserve PNG’s biodiversity for future generations (credit: Mandy Glass)

Project manager Caleb Bulu, who oversees around 14 villages, highlights the importance of TCA’s work supported by MAF:

‘We have to conserve our biodiversity for future generations. Now we have alternative projects that benefit people within our catchment areas like using tin roofs (instead of cutting down trees where tree kangaroos live), fish farming and rice cultivation. Thank you MAF for your long service in times of emergency and delivering cargo.’

Preserving the rainforest gives wild tree kangaroos a habitat to live and provides an abundant food source for them. Preventing logging and deforestation, which causes land degradation, also reduces the affects of climate change.

TCA’s Irene Sobin uses MAF to deliver training in remote villages (credit: Mandy Glass)

TCA Project Officer Irene Sobin is a frequent flier with MAF supporting villagers by implementing sustainable ways of living:

‘I use MAF to help me implement agricultural training and health and hygiene training in our conservation areas. Travelling with MAF is easy – it takes a short time and avoids problems.’

Irene’s colleague, senior project officer Fidelis Nick, oversees community development projects in Torricelli’s Nuku District such as housing, water supply and solar power:

‘MAF plays a big part in working with us to make these things happen along the Torricelli Mountains. Thanks very much MAF for providing services to rural communities and for supporting sustainable development.’

TCA’s Fidelis Nick is grateful for MAF’s support (credit: Mandy Glass)

A number of hunting moratoriums have been in place since 1999. TCA’s goal is to renew these every two years to remind stakeholders of their commitment to protect endangered tree kangaroos.

TCA set up a tree kangaroo sanctuary in Lumi in 2004. This sanctuary is home to animals who have either been bred in captivity or young tree kangaroos whose mothers were hunted and killed.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the people from the Torricelli Mountain Range Conservation Area and Tenkile Conservation Alliance – supported by MAF – the world’s Tenkile tree kangaroo population has trebled, and 200,000 hectares of PNG’s rainforest is now protected.

Thanks to conservation, the world’s Tenkile tree kangaroo population has trebled (credit: Mandy Glass)