The Piku Project: Pig-nosed Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta ...

The Piku Project: Pig-nosed Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta)

community led conservation in the Kikori region of Papua

New Guinea

Carla C. Eisemberg, Mark Rose, Yolarnie Amepou, Arthur Georges

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Pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelyidae)

• Australia and New Guinea

• Kikori River

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Kikori

Pig-nosed turtle

– Important source of protein

– Especially during the nesting season

Krista Nash, 2011

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Aims and objectives:

Piku Project 2012

• Phases:

– 1 st phase: January and February

– 2 nd phase: April

• Cement in place a long-term community-led monitoring program

for the markets and target villages.

• Protect the main pig-nosed turtle nesting area in the Kikori River

and use it as an example to bring interest to other sand bank land

owners.

• Bring awareness about conservation and management of wildlife:

– “Piku on Radio” program

– Children’s book “The Adventures of Piggy on the Kikori River”

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Building Capacity

• Graduate students

• University students

• Kikori Secondary students

• Workshops

• Field experience

Future master student Kikori students

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Market Monitoring

• Meat and eggs

• 5 students from Kikori Secondary

• 10 pig-nosed turtles sold

• Kibeni, Veraibari, Apeowa and

Wowou Villages

• Delta and coastal villages

• 90 eggs sold – Feb. to April

• Waira Village

• Upstream

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Number of eggs

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0

Village Monitoring

Kopi

Waira

1981-1982 2007-2008 2008-2009 2011-2012

Nesting season

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Sand Bank Protection

• Wau Creek

• Protected for 30 days - Jan 17 to

Feb 15

Nest fate (%)

Between years (Wau Creek)

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

2008-2009 2011-2012

Nesting season

Hatched

Predated

Harvested

Unknown

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Sand Bank Protection

Results

Number of nests

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Between areas

Flooded Hatched Predated Removed Unknown

Nest fate

Harvested?

Inside

Outside

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Other activities

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Next steps

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Tanikiu bada herea!

• Exxon Mobil staff

– Stephen Whisker, Valentina Kaman, Eurelia Paine, Dylan Soondrawu, Justin

Ondopa, Alphonse Nao, Serah Kende and Sisa Kini

• PNG Department of Environment and Conservation

– Dr Colin Filer (ANU) and Jim Robins (NRI)

• From Kopi Camp

– Floyd Robinson, Florence Sabo and Steve Dekene.

• CDI Foundation staff

– Cathy Alex, Peter John, Wapi Ekali and John Aitau

• People from Kikori villages

– Waira, Kopi, irimuku, Ero and Apeowa.

• Frank John and his family for the protection of Wau creek and assistance

in the field.

• Students from Kikori Secondary School

• The Papua New Guinea Institute of Biological Research.