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New
Caledonia
| The
French overseas territory of New Caledonia, east of Australia, contains
a unique and irreplaceable flora and fauna that has evolved in isolation
for more than 80 million years. It represents an isolated fragment
of the ancient super-continent of Gondwanaland. New Caledonia has
been designated a globally significant biodiversity ‘hotspot’
and is internationally recognised as being one of the worlds most
unique ‘evolutionary laboratories’. Several plants (5 endemic
plant families, +1,700 endemic vascular plants) and animals (100%
of snails, 80% of lizards) are found nowhere else. A number of unique
tree species only occur there. Some notable members of this list include
Araucaria nemorosa, A. columnaris, A. montana,
A. humboldtensis (distant relatives of the Chilean monkey-puzzle
tree) and Neocallitropsis pancheri. The world’s only parasitic
conifer (Parasitaxus ustus) is another notable New Caledonian
endemic. All are now confined to small fragments of their original
ranges and are seriously under threat from extinction. Birds such
as the Kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus), the only living representative
of an entire family unique to New Caledonia, are seriously reduced
in numbers and are now confined to isolated fragments of their former
range. This has serious implications for the maintenance of their
genetic integrity and hence continued survival if inbreeding is to
be avoided. Twenty-one other bird species are only found on New Caledonia.
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| The
kagu, Rhynochetos jubatus, the only surviving member
of an endemic bird family |
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| The
kagu, Rhynochetos jubatus, the only surviving member
of an endemic bird family |
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| One World Wildlife can only undertake projects such as those outlined
above with the generous support of concerned individuals and institutions.
Our approach has been shown to be cost-efficient and to work effectively
to the benefit of both wildlife and people. If you feel that you share
our beliefs and wish to make a difference, and if you are in a position
to help us do more, you can make a donation, large or small, to One World Wildlife. |
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| Araucaria
columnaris, an endangered tree species that is unique
to New Caledonia. Image courtesy S.Turvey |
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If you would like to help please make a donation.
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