CSS Papua New Guinea

Launched in 2025, the Centre for Species Survival Papua New Guinea is proudly hosted by Port Moresby Nature Park, in partnership with SSC, and funded by the Cologne Zoo.

Working with key partners, from government bodies to local communities, the Centre aims to directly contribute to species red listing and conservation efforts in Papua New Guinea, while also uniting stakeholders and catalysing action for native Papua New Guinean species, as encouraged by the SSC CPSG’s One Plan approach.

About our work

Through the Center for Species Survival: Papua New Guinea, Nature Park will implement the IUCN Assess-Plan-Act model to assess extinction risk, identify conservation needs, help plan effective and coordinated measures, and mobilize action in alliance with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC), specialist groups, relevant government (such as CEPA) and non-government partners, and the wider conservation community. Nature Park will work towards filling the current knowledge gaps in Papua New Guinea, prioritizing conservation planning, and mobilizing key actions and policy implementation on a national scale.

Supporting the Species Conservation Cycle

The Center for Species Survival Papua New Guinea will empower Nature Park to advance its ongoing conservation efforts in Papua New Guinea, with the initial collaborative work focused on gap analysis and networking, and assessment of our institutional focal areas - tree-kangaroos, birds-of-paradise, endemic amphibians, orchids, cycads and wild food crop relatives. Very little data has been collected, and even less published, about species distribution or abundance and many endemic species assessments are not completed, lack data or are now outdated.

With more threats than ever before in Papua New Guinea, especially rapid population growth and timber harvesting, there is now more need than ever to identify conservation priorities and key biodiversity areas within the country.

1
Gap-analysis + prioritisation for Papua New Guinea species
The Centre will identify gaps in data, and in current global red listing, pertaining to endemic Papua New Guinean plants and animals. It will utilise this basis to engage with Specialist Group chairs in forming priorities in terms of red list assessment + conservation action.

                                                              
2
Assisting in red-listing for Australasian marsupial + monotremes.
Working with the specialist group for Australasian marsupial and monotremes co-chairs, the centre will work towards ensuring the best available data is utilised to assess endemic species, and is used to inform in regards to species with ranges which cross the border into Papua New Guinea - especially those species whose assessments are now over 10 years old.

                                                              
3
Stakeholder engagement + network building
Communicating with the Papua New Guinean members of the SSC, and identifying capacity to expand this network, the centre will host workshops and capacity-building opportunities to begin collaboration and identify key partners within Papua New Guinea. Also working to involve other government entities and NGOs to head towards a One-Plan approach for species conservation within Papua New Guinea.

                                                              

Meet our team

Johnpaul Houston

Current CEO of the Port Moresby Nature Park, studied Wildlife Conservation and Zoo Biology at the University of Salford, and has managed regional studbook programs and taxon advisory groups for the European Association of Zoo + Aquaria, as well as contrubuting to single-species action planning and regional planning, as well as currently sitting on the expert panel for EU-FCCB.

Current CEO of the Port Moresby Nature Park, studied Wildlife Conservation and Zoo Biology at the University of Salford, and has managed regional studbook programs and taxon advisory groups for the ...

Steward Sengi

Steward, originally from East Sepik province, worked with the Queen Alexandra butterfly project in Oro province and then for the Conservation + Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), the PNG CITES authority, where he was responsible for species level profiling of nationally protected species. After a time on the Nature Park education team he transitioned to the CSS office.

Steward, originally from East Sepik province, worked with the Queen Alexandra butterfly project in Oro province and then for the Conservation + Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), the PNG CITES ...

Valerie Mark

Valerie, from Milne Bay province, worked on the education department at Port Moresby Nature Park for many years before returning to do an MSc in GIS at University of Technology, Lae, and transitioning to the CSS team. Youth engagement is one of Valeries strengths.

Valerie, from Milne Bay province, worked on the education department at Port Moresby Nature Park for many years before returning to do an MSc in GIS at University of Technology, Lae, and transitioning ...

Francis Otto Gundu

Francis is the Conservation Manager over fauna + flora at the Port Moresby Nature Park. Coming from Simbu province, Francis studied for his BSc in Biology at the University of Papua New Guinea. Francis worked in horticulture, and then transitioned to specialising in amphibians before taking on the management of both the horticulture and wildlife teams at the park, and now supervising the CSS.

Francis is the Conservation Manager over fauna + flora at the Port Moresby Nature Park. Coming from Simbu province, Francis studied for his BSc in Biology at the University of Papua New Guinea ...

Photo: Johnpaul Houston / Port Moresby Nature Park