The Port Moresby Nature Park’s conservation efforts to secure New Guinea’s frog species against the likely catastrophic impacts of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus has received much-needed backing from Moni Plus to continue its frog research program.
The fungus currently recognized as the most significant example of emerging infectious diseases worldwide affecting frogs globally, with more than 40% of frog species now threatened with extinction and another 170 species considered to have already become extinct in the last 20 years.
Moni Plus, one of the county’s biggest financial companies of PNG, recently donated K30, 000 to the Park’s Program.
“It has always been our aim to conduct ourselves as a good corporate citizen with social and environmental responsibilities, and that is what our sponsorship to the Port Moresby Nature Park is all about,” said Moni Plus CEO, Gajanan Barve.
Moni Plus Head of Sales and Marketing Atish Das presented the K30, 000 cheque to the Park on behalf of the company.
Port Moresby Nature Park, General Manager, David Thompson thanked Moni Plus for their support and says this would give the park’s wildlife team the support they need to continue on with the research program.
The ultimate goal of the research program is to secure Papua New Guinea from the Chytrid fungus as PNG is the world’s largest tropical island and remains the last major center of amphibian biodiversity that is chytrid-free.
To date, Port Moresby Nature Park has set a momentous benchmark in the conservation of Papua New Guinea’s frogs with the Park’s first successful breed-for-release program with Green Tree Frogs last year.
Moni Plus support towards this noble cause under CSR goes a long way in making sure genetic material of as many of PNG’s 335 currently described frog species are obtained and stored in preparation for the imminent arrival of the deadly Chytrid fungus.
