Port Moresby Nature Park will once again host World Wildlife Day on Saturday 2nd March from 9am – 3pm at the Nature Park.
This will be the fifth year in a row that the event has been held at the Nature Park with this year’s theme ‘Life below water: for people and planet’. The event aims to raise awareness about the diversity of marine life, the importance of marine species to human development, and how to make sure it continues to provide for future generations.
The event will bring together conservation organisations both big and small along with Government departments.
The CITES Secretariat reports that the ocean contains nearly 200,000 identified species. The market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated to be about 5 percent of global GDP and over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. The ocean has also enriched our lives culturally, spiritually, and recreationally in different ways.
Port Moresby Nature Park’s General Manager, Michelle McGeorge, said: “I encourage all Port Moresby residents to come and celebrate world wildlife day and put your support behind some amazing conservation organizations and researchers that have travelled far and wide and are working with communities to save PNG’s wildlife.”
Visitors on the day can expect stalls, animal encounters, games and activities, food and lots of great reasons for celebrating conservation in PNG.
In 2014 the United Nations declared 3 March as World Wildlife Day to coincide with the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the date is now a worldwide celebrated day.
For more information on the event visitors are encouraged to visit Port Moresby Nature Park’s Facebook page.