Frill-necked lizard AKA frilled dragons are endangered in southern Papua New Guinea and Indonesian-occupied West Papua due to palm oil ecocide, take action!
Tag Archives: West Papua
Blue-streaked Lory Eos reticulata
Brilliantly coloured and full of energy, the Blue-streaked Lory (Eos reticulata) is a striking and unique #parrot living in the forests of the Banda Sea Islands, #Indonesia. Their scarlet plumage is decorated with iridescent blue streaks, creating a dazzling and electrifying colours both when they’re at rest and in flight. With a sharp, hooked beak adapted for nectar-feeding, these #birds flit from flower to flower, playing a vital role in rainforest #pollination.
Despite their adaptability, habitat destruction and the pet trade threaten their survival. These birds have been heavily trapped for the illegal bird trade, with over 3,000 individuals captured annually in the 1980s. Although they remain relatively common in their range, continued #deforestation and capture for the caged #pettrade and bird market may be pushing them towards decline. If these mesmerising lories are to have a future in the wild, their habitat must be protected, and the demand for keeping them as pets must end. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Pesquets Parrot Psittrichas fulgidus
The beguiling Pesquet’s #parrots are sometimes known as ‘Dracula parrots’ due to their unique appearance. This includes black facial features, black feathers and bright red patches that reminiscent of a Dracula-like cloak. This striking combination lends them a slightly eerie and dramatic look, making them truly a sight to behold.
They inhabit the lush #rainforests of #WestPapua and #PapuaNewGuinea and make gentle gliding flights. They have a specialised diet of figs and face significant threats from #deforestation and #hunting. These magnificent birds are classified as vulnerable, and their population is decreasing. You can make a difference by choosing products that protect their rainforest habitat. Make sure you #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!
Tanimbar Eclectus Parrot Eclectus riedeli
The Tanimbar Eclectus Parrot Eclectus riedeli also known as the Eclectus Parrot or Tanimbar Eclectus is a rare and striking #parrot found only on the #Tanimbar Islands of Indonesian occupied #WestPapua. Males display a brilliant emerald green plumage, while females are adorned in deep crimson and cobalt blue feathers, making them one of the most visually stunning #parrots in the world. These parrots face growing threats from habitat destruction, the pet trade, and climate change.
Forests are disappearing due to timber logging and #palmoil monoculture, while #poaching for the illegal #pettrade continues to remove individuals from the wild, disrupting their populations. #Climatechange also poses an increasing risk, with rising temperatures, storms, and unpredictable weather patterns affecting their habitat and food sources. The best way to protect these parrots is to keep them in the wild, not in cages. Use your wallet as a weapon in the supermarket and choose #PalmOilFree #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Mountain Cuscus Phalanger carmelitae
The Mountain #Cuscus are fascinating and shy creatures who live in Papua New Guinea and #WestPapua. Thick, dark, woolly fur covers most of their bodies, while their bellies are white. The Mountain Cuscus has a black tail with a rough, white tip. Their skulls are medium-sized, with a short snout, large back teeth, and three small teeth on each side of their lower jaws. It’s important to note that the Mountain Cuscus can sometimes be confused with the Silky Cuscus, which has a smooth tail without rough patches, a shorter or absent white tail tip, and fewer teeth in their lower jaw. They are threatened by massive #palmoil and #timber deforestation across West Papua and Papua New Guinea, help them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Greasing the Wheels of Colonialism: Palm Oil Industry in West Papua
A landmark study published in Global Studies Quarterly in April 2025 has revealed that the rapid expansion of the #palmoil industry in #WestPapua is not only fuelling #deforestation, #ecocide and environmental destruction but also perpetuating colonial-era patterns of land dispossession, #violence, and erasure of #Indigenous #Papuan communities.
Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi
Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi), known locally as “Payangko,” is one of the most evolutionarily distinct mammals and is native to the Cyclops Mountains in Papua, Indonesia. This critically endangered monotreme is distinguished by its unique feeding technique and smaller size compared to other long-beaked echidnas. Despite not being recorded by scientists since 1961, a recent expedition led to its rediscovery in 2023, offering renewed hope for the species. Facing threats from hunting and habitat degradation, we must protect this elusive creature by supporting sustainable practices and community-led conservation. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Encountering the World’s Most Endangered Kangaroo: The Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo
Encounter the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo. Rediscovered in 2018, these rare marsupials from West Papua are a symbol of hope amidst threats from palm oil, hunting
Dusky Pademelon Thylogale brunii
Dusky Pademelons are small marsupials with large ears, strong hind legs and a short, thick tail. They navigate the dense and mountainous forests of New Guinea with natural agility. Solitary by nature, these fascinating creatures disperse seeds as they roam through the forests contributing to the maintenance of a vibrant ecosystem. They are now vulnerable due to the threat of hunting and deforestation for mining, palm oil and timber throughout their range. Help them to survive every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Magnificent Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus magnificus
Meet the Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise, a dazzling, theatrical bird from New Guinea’s forests. Their vibrant courtship dances must be protected from palm oil!
Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps
In the verdant, high-altitude forests of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, and Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands, lives an intriguing creature—the Bougainville Monkey-faced bat or, as some call them, the Bougainville Flying Monkey. These bats are the titans of their family, boasting arm spans stretching impressively between 14.1 to 16 cm. They are endangered, mostly from palm oil and mining deforestation and hunting. Help them to survive every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Stunning bright coloured Philippine sailfin lizards are becoming more and more rare from palm oil deforestation across their range in #WestPapua #Philippines and eastern #Indonesia. They are also threatened by hunting and the pet trade. Males turn a dark violet colour during mating season and flare their extravagant sail-like fins to announce their mating prowess. They have a third eye on the top of their head which enables them to sense sunlight. Help them survive and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Vogelkop Superb Bird of Paradise Lophorina superba
Male superb-bird’s-of-paradise are the dramatic actors of #NewGuinea’s rainforest. They use their lush, multicoloured plumage to change shape in an elaborate dancing courtship display that typically goes on for many hours for the sole benefit of a female #bird. At the end of the dancing ritual, the female will get to choose her mate between 15-20 male #birds. These magnificent birds are struggling to survive, hemmed in on all sides by #hunting, #palmoil, gold mining and timber #deforestation throughout their range. Help their survival every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!
Waigeo Cuscus Spilocuscus papuensis
Cryptic and solitary marsupials, Waigeo Cuscuses cling to tree canopies on a Waigeo Island, West Papua. They are classified as vulnerable on IUCN Red List due to palm oil deforestation and mining on the tiny island where they live. Help them each time you shop and be #vegan, #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife
New Guinea Singing Dog Canis hallstromi
Thought for decades to be extinct in the wild, the New Guinea singing #dog populations hang on to survival in the remote mountains and forests of New Guinea. These #wilddogs were last spotted in 2017 near the Grasberg gold and copper mine in #WestPapua. Little known and still not well understood by researchers, they announce themselves with a haunting overlapping howling between individual dogs that is unlike other forms of canid howling.
Elusive and likely now critically endangered, #NewGuinea Singing Dogs are rapidly disappearing and have no formal protection or conservation in place. Help them survive and fight against #palmoil #deforestation in #WestPapua, #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Papuan Eagle Harpyopsis novaeguineae
Elusive, forest-dwelling apex predators in New Guinea, Papuan eagles are classified as vulnerable and rapidly declining due to enormous deforestation for mining and palm oil in Papua New Guinea and West Papua along with hunting threats. They are poorly studied birds and therefore estimates of their populations may be severely overestimated, meaning that they are in much more serious strife than we know.
While there have probably never been high densities of the Papuan eagle, evidence indicates that they are declining rapidly. It is possible that the entire population is considerably under 10,000 individuals. There is no evidence that the Papuan eagle is adaptable to the opening of forests and the eagles appear to abandon areas especially where logging roads have been cut into the forests.
Help them every time you shop and be #vegan, #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Dr Sophie Chao is an environmental anthropologist and environmental humanities scholar interested in the intersections of capitalism, ecology, Indigeneity, health, and justice in the Pacific.
Palm Oil Detectives is honoured to interview to Dr Sophie Chao about her research into the impacts of palm oil on the daily lives of Marind people and other sentient beings in West Papua.
I wrote In the Shadow of the Palms because I wanted the world to understand how deforestation and industrial oil palm expansion are undermining Indigenous ways of being in West Papua.
Divide and Intimidate: The Playbook of Palm Oil Landgrabs
The insidious playbook of palm oil companies “Promise, Divide, Intimidate and Coerce” reveals the 12 corrupt tactics used to grab community land in Africa
Palm Oil Lobbyists Getting Caught Lying Orangutan Land Trust and Agropalma
For decades, investigative journalists have been exposing that illegal land grabbing from Indigenous peoples as a regular occurrence in West Papua, South and Central America, Africa and Asia. Indigenous people’s land is being forcibly (and often violently) taken from them by predatory palm oil companies. Major supermarket brands and also palm oil producers that areContinue reading “Palm Oil Lobbyists Getting Caught Lying Orangutan Land Trust and Agropalma”
Seri’s Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus stellarum
Seri’s #TreeKangaroo is one of the world’s most elusive #marsupials of the genus #Dendrolagus surviving only in the remote mountains of #PapuaNewGuinea and the contested territory of #WestPapua. In these highlands, Indigenous Papuans have resisted Indonesian rule for over half a century, while the forests themselves are threatened by commercial logging, palm oil, and hunting. The Seri’s Tree Kangaroo’s silvery coat and secretive habits help them blend into the forest, but not even the tallest trees can shield them from bulldozers. When you shop ensure that you BoycottPalmOil, Boycott4Wildlife to fight for their protection.
Eastern Long-beaked Echidna Zaglossus bartoni
The Eastern long-beaked echidna Zaglossus bartoni is one of the planet’s most extraordinary mammals—a living relic from the dawn of mammalian evolution. Found only in the rugged, remote mountains of New Guinea, this remarkable creature is genetically and physically unlike any other animal alive today. Their existence bridges ancient evolutionary traits with the survival needs of modern species, representing a fascinating link to the distant past.
Tragically, these rare monotremes face the threat of extinction due to hunting and habitat loss for palm oil, timber and gold mining. Support indigenous-led conservation and fight for their survival. Use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Grizzled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus inustus
Where the forest rises steeply from the rivers and the mist hangs low over the green spires of the Foja Mountains and the Torricelli Range, the Grizzled Tree Kangaroo moves like a living memory. The Grizzled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus inustus and their ash-grey coats and quiet agile movements, are the ghostly figures of New Guinea’s dwindling rainforests. Listed as Vulnerable on the Red List, these rare tree kangaroos now stand at the edge of survival. Hunting dogs track their scent; chainsaws fell their towering homes. Palm oil is rapidly obliterating their forest home. Without urgent action, these shy, elusive creatures will vanish into the mist forever. Boycott palm oil and go #vegan for them. Protect their ancient world. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Spectacled Flying Fox Pteropus conspicillatus
The Spectacled Flying Fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) is a large, highly mobile fruit #bat native to the tropical rainforests of Australia’s Wet Tropics and Papua New Guinea’s offshore islands including Woodlark Island, Alcester Island, Kiriwina, and Halmahera. Named for the distinctive pale rings around their eyes, they play a crucial role in pollination and seed dispersal across vast forested landscapes. However, their survival is under severe threat due to rampant #palmoil #deforestation in #Papua, along with #climatechange-induced extreme heat events, and human-wildlife conflict. These bats have suffered catastrophic population declines in recent years, underscoring the urgent need for conservation action. In February 2019 the Australian government upgraded their threatened status from vulnerable to endangered, after almost a third of the bat population died in a severe heatwave in Queensland in late 2018. Take action and resist climate change and deforestation-driven #extinction every time you shop—#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis Endangered Location: Papua New Guinea, Asia, SE Asia, Northern Australia The Far Eastern Curlew breeds on open mossy or transitional bogs, moss-lichen bogs and wet meadows, and on the swampy shores of small lakes and winters in Papua New Guinea; in the non-breeding season, this bird is essentially coastal, occurringContinue reading “Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis”
Vogelkop Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus ursinus
Protect stunning marsupials Vogelkop Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus ursinus and boycott palm oil! They live in the Vogelkop and Fakfak Peninsulas of West Papua.
Dingiso Dendrolagus mbaiso
Known affectionately as the ‘Panda tree kangaroo’ for their black and white faces, dingisos are one of the rarest and most charismatic species of tree kangaroos, living only in the remote cloud forests of the Sudirman Range in Indonesian-occupied #WestPapua. While revered by the Moni people who consider them sacred and taboo to hunt, #Dingiso populations have still plummeted by over 50% due to #hunting, road construction, habitat clearing, and the expansion of industrial agriculture particularly #palmoil #deforestation. #Climatechange is now driving further habitat loss at high altitudes. Help these mysterious and gentle tree kangaroos every time you shop, use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
Critically Endangered Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are found in Papua New Guinea’s mountains. They move with grace in a vanishing world. Boycott palm oil!
Black-spotted Cuscus Spilocuscus rufoniger
The black-spotted cuscus Spilocuscus rufoniger is one of the most striking and rare marsupials in the world. Known for their soft fur with irregular black spots on a reddish or cream background, they exemplify the biodiversity of West Papua and Papua New Guinea’s rainforests. Endemic to the island, they are incredibly elusive, primarily inhabiting dense forests.
Sadly, this arboreal species is on the brink of extinction, primarily due to habitat loss from logging and palm oil plantations. Additionally, they are hunted for bushmeat and their striking pelts, which are valued in local traditions. With their population in severe decline, urgent action is needed to save this remarkable species from disappearing. Fight for their survival and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Papua New Guinea & West Papua: Species Endangered by Palm Oil Deforestation
As the rainforest habitats are destroyed in Indonesia, Indonesian and Chinese oil palm processing companies are switching focus towards Papua New Guinea, Africa and South America to keep up with demand for palm oil.
Palm Oil Detectives 