Papua Island is now recognized as the island with the highest flora biodiversity in the world, replacing Madagascar’s position as a center of biodiversity. The findings are the result of the hard work of 99 researchers from 19 countries who have identified that Papua has 13,634 plant species, of which 68 percent are endemic—found only on the island of Papua and nowhere else.

The findings were published in the journal Nature on August 5, 2020, where researchers collected data from various sources and compiled a comprehensive list of plant species on the world’s largest tropical island. The study involved 56 international institutions, including the West Papua Provincial Regional Research and Development Agency and the University of Papua. They revealed that Papua Island has about 16 percent of the world’s total flora, a larger number compared to Madagascar which is recorded to have 11,488 species.

Of the 13,634 plant species from 1,742 genera and 264 families found in Papua, 9,301 species are endemic. This fact makes Papua the only archipelago in Southeast Asia that has a greater number of endemic species compared to non-endemic species. With its large land area and diversity of habitats, Papua Island is home to many unique flora. Papua’s geographical condition, which is located at the crossroads of Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific, as well as its complex tectonic history, also enrich its biodiversity.

See also: Where Is The Authentic Papua Black Orchid?

This research is expected to accelerate efforts to conserve Papua’s natural resources and support sustainable development policies, especially in West Papua Province. This data is also an important basis for planning and implementing environmental conservation strategies in the region. International institutions such as the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the Natural History Museum are also involved in the research, confirming the importance of global collaborative efforts in protecting biodiversity.

As the center of the world’s biodiversity, Papua Island is not only the pride of Indonesia, but also an invaluable global asset. The richness of the flora owned by this island must be well maintained so that it can continue to provide benefits for science, the environment, and human life in the future.