Port Moresby Nature Park

PNG's only zoo and botanical garden, with birds of paradise and tree kangaroos

Papua New Guinea's only zoo and botanic garden, located in Waigani near the university campus. The park is genuinely impressive for a capital city in the Pacific: it holds tree kangaroos, birds of paradise, cassowaries, crocodiles, and a wide range of PNG wildlife in relatively naturalistic enclosures. The botanical section has labelled native plants including tropical orchids.

Entry is well-priced by regional standards. Guided tours are available and add considerably to the visit — the guides know the animals individually and can explain the significance of specific species in Melanesian culture. Allow at least two hours; the bird of paradise enclosure alone is worth the trip.

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A story
The Nature Park is the only place in Port Moresby where you are essentially guaranteed to see a bird of paradise up close. Papua New Guinea is home to more than 40 species of these extraordinary birds, whose elaborate plumage drove a Victorian-era trade that nearly made several species extinct. The park's breeding and conservation programme has helped stabilise populations of some of the more vulnerable species.