CONSERVATION BY COMMUNITY
Papua New Guinea is known for its rich biodiversity, and in particular the shark populations in the Gulf of Papua.
As Director of the Piku Biodiversity Network, Yolarnie has facilitated shark research that documented 44 species of sharks and rays, including 31 species on the IUCN Red List—six of which are critically endangered sawfish, hammerheads, and rhinorays. Emphasising their importance to the community, the PBN team has reached conservation milestones including the delineation of the Gulf of Papua Mangrove Important Shark and Ray Area in 2024, the publication of The Wonky Tooth Sawfish children’s book, research on the social values of sawfish, and a Sawfish and Rhinoray Champion Program. Find out more about Yolarnie on her Facebook page or Linkedin, and the Piku Biodiversity Network on their website and Facebook.
