World Famous Baiyer Zoo revived and rehabilitated
Peter Solo Kinjap
The once world renowned Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary known as Baiyer Zoo in the Western Highlands Province is now being revived and rehabilitated to attract tourists and bird watchers. The rehabilitation process is currently being spearheaded by the local Member of Parliament (MP), Honourable Koi Trappe in consultation with the Department of Environment and Conservation. This was made possible by an Australian team of Biologists who toured the area late last year and carried out a feasibility study to assess the viability of reviving the Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary. The recommendations of this feasibility study were forwarded to the Government of Papua New Guinea for implementation. The basic perimeter fencing and the animals and birds cages are currently taking shape.
Highlands’s volunteer tourism promoter Philip Willie Ukuni said the Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary was well known in the 1860s when internet and social media was not as popular as it is today, yet so many thousands of tourists flocked in to Baiyer River. Now that we have internet, websites and social media as a tool for tourism marketing, we will see a lot of tourists coming for bird watching. He said the Government has neglected the highlands region for tourism support and this is unfair. “Government departments and statutory bodies responsibilities for tourism must now take into consideration the highlands for tourism promotion and marketing,” he added.
The writer and Mr. Ukuni paid a courtesy visit to the Baiyer Zoo recently and meet the locals and security minding the area. Mathew Mark, a local from Kepeka tribe who voluntarily looks after the zoo facilities said, “When I was a small boy, the zoo was in existence. Some 20 to 30 years ago, Government system changed, the zoo left abandoned.” The Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary was managed by Western Highlands Provincial Government when it started in 1968. It faced closure when management arm of the zoo was abolished and funds slashed therein. “Bushes have grown back to natural forest and over the 20 years or so the Reggianna Bird of Paradise and other species of Bird of Paradise have multiplied in numbers and mutated to human habitant. So when you come, the Bird of Paradise (Reggianna species) will be easily seen in the forest. They will not run away as many birds do when people go closer,” the Zoo keeper Mark said.
The rehabilitation program had seen 10 buildings to be erected to standard. There will be Administration Centre, Induction for Tourists, School Excursions, Conferences and a Lodge.
Local Antenga Village Court Magistrate Benjamin Aret from Wantenga Tribe said when the zoo was down, we looked after it. “It was on our land so we looked after it by not cutting down the trees and making gardens or houses. We reserved the zoo hoping some good day it will be reopened,” Mr. Aret said. “The Zoo is on the customary land belonging to Wantenga and Kepeka Tribes of Ukuni 2 of Baiyer area. The Zoo was preserved for future reopening, and those people who disobeyed the local leaders to cut trees or hunt for birds were taken to police and jailed. The other local leaders who enforced the laws of zoo for preservation and protection were Emos Korowa from Andanga Tribe, Steven Koi from Andanga Tribe and Councillor Jerry Team from Wantenga Tribe. We make sure that the birds and animals in the zoo must now run away. We stopped people from cutting down trees and hunting,” Mr. Aret said. “It’s our tradition for people living around the zoo area that we never eat the birds and animals from the zoo. Even when they die of a natural cause, we never eat the meats rather burry them,” he added with a smile.
Willie Kang, an ancillary policeman who provided the escort for the 6-member team of Australian biologists and botanists who visited the zoo in April, 2014 to study the neutrality of the zoo and its habitants said the Reggianna Bird of Paradise is still around. This is believed to be only place in Papua New Guinea where the Reggianna Bird of Paradise can breed and live freely. “We made sure that no locals disturbed the area. We punished those who disobeyed,” he said.
Micheal Paraka, a local recalls, “When the zoo was in operation, there were people flooding in every weekend. Bus loads of frequent the area. There was picnic place and both local and international visitors frequent the area. I can precisely remember about 200-300 people per weekend.”
The renovation work is expected to be completed in June this year. While the administration centre is being prioritised with the funding from local MP, the other areas that needed more funding to be completed are; the picnic areas, animals’ cages, and the parameter iron fence that surrounds the zoo area.
“More funds should be allocated to speed up the work. When the local MP has started it, other stakeholders should come in to finish the rehabilitation process with more funding as this a national significant project,” volunteer tourism promoter Philip Ukuni said.
Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary is believed to be the only site in Papua New Guinea where the Reggianna Bird of Paradise species can freely live and breed today in large numbers. The Reggianna Bird of Paradise is the National Symbol of Papua New Guinea found both on the National Flag and the National Crest Feature. It is only found in Papua New Guinea and the Air Niugini Limited is also using the Bird of Paradise as its symbol.
Bird of Paradise originated on the island of New Guinea. Only six (6) of the forty-five (45) species are elsewhere. Two in Indonesia on the Island of Moluccan Archipekago, and four in Australia; two of which have far greater and more widespread populations on the Island of New Guinea.
• The writer is a volunteer highlands tourism promoter and based in Mt. Hagen. For queries contact him via email at: howarigc@gmail.com or SMS: 73081368
 |
| Reggianna Bird of Paradise. Photo courtesy of Niugini Exotic Tours |
Highlands’s volunteer tourism promoter Philip Willie Ukuni said the Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary was well known in the 1860s when internet and social media was not as popular as it is today, yet so many thousands of tourists flocked in to Baiyer River. Now that we have internet, websites and social media as a tool for tourism marketing, we will see a lot of tourists coming for bird watching. He said the Government has neglected the highlands region for tourism support and this is unfair. “Government departments and statutory bodies responsibilities for tourism must now take into consideration the highlands for tourism promotion and marketing,” he added.
The writer and Mr. Ukuni paid a courtesy visit to the Baiyer Zoo recently and meet the locals and security minding the area. Mathew Mark, a local from Kepeka tribe who voluntarily looks after the zoo facilities said, “When I was a small boy, the zoo was in existence. Some 20 to 30 years ago, Government system changed, the zoo left abandoned.” The Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary was managed by Western Highlands Provincial Government when it started in 1968. It faced closure when management arm of the zoo was abolished and funds slashed therein. “Bushes have grown back to natural forest and over the 20 years or so the Reggianna Bird of Paradise and other species of Bird of Paradise have multiplied in numbers and mutated to human habitant. So when you come, the Bird of Paradise (Reggianna species) will be easily seen in the forest. They will not run away as many birds do when people go closer,” the Zoo keeper Mark said.
The rehabilitation program had seen 10 buildings to be erected to standard. There will be Administration Centre, Induction for Tourists, School Excursions, Conferences and a Lodge.
Local Antenga Village Court Magistrate Benjamin Aret from Wantenga Tribe said when the zoo was down, we looked after it. “It was on our land so we looked after it by not cutting down the trees and making gardens or houses. We reserved the zoo hoping some good day it will be reopened,” Mr. Aret said. “The Zoo is on the customary land belonging to Wantenga and Kepeka Tribes of Ukuni 2 of Baiyer area. The Zoo was preserved for future reopening, and those people who disobeyed the local leaders to cut trees or hunt for birds were taken to police and jailed. The other local leaders who enforced the laws of zoo for preservation and protection were Emos Korowa from Andanga Tribe, Steven Koi from Andanga Tribe and Councillor Jerry Team from Wantenga Tribe. We make sure that the birds and animals in the zoo must now run away. We stopped people from cutting down trees and hunting,” Mr. Aret said. “It’s our tradition for people living around the zoo area that we never eat the birds and animals from the zoo. Even when they die of a natural cause, we never eat the meats rather burry them,” he added with a smile.
Willie Kang, an ancillary policeman who provided the escort for the 6-member team of Australian biologists and botanists who visited the zoo in April, 2014 to study the neutrality of the zoo and its habitants said the Reggianna Bird of Paradise is still around. This is believed to be only place in Papua New Guinea where the Reggianna Bird of Paradise can breed and live freely. “We made sure that no locals disturbed the area. We punished those who disobeyed,” he said.
Micheal Paraka, a local recalls, “When the zoo was in operation, there were people flooding in every weekend. Bus loads of frequent the area. There was picnic place and both local and international visitors frequent the area. I can precisely remember about 200-300 people per weekend.”
The renovation work is expected to be completed in June this year. While the administration centre is being prioritised with the funding from local MP, the other areas that needed more funding to be completed are; the picnic areas, animals’ cages, and the parameter iron fence that surrounds the zoo area.
“More funds should be allocated to speed up the work. When the local MP has started it, other stakeholders should come in to finish the rehabilitation process with more funding as this a national significant project,” volunteer tourism promoter Philip Ukuni said.
Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary is believed to be the only site in Papua New Guinea where the Reggianna Bird of Paradise species can freely live and breed today in large numbers. The Reggianna Bird of Paradise is the National Symbol of Papua New Guinea found both on the National Flag and the National Crest Feature. It is only found in Papua New Guinea and the Air Niugini Limited is also using the Bird of Paradise as its symbol.
Bird of Paradise originated on the island of New Guinea. Only six (6) of the forty-five (45) species are elsewhere. Two in Indonesia on the Island of Moluccan Archipekago, and four in Australia; two of which have far greater and more widespread populations on the Island of New Guinea.
• The writer is a volunteer highlands tourism promoter and based in Mt. Hagen. For queries contact him via email at: howarigc@gmail.com or SMS: 73081368
Post a Comment