| Trans-Fly savanna and grasslands | |
|---|---|
 The Trans-Fly savanna in Papua New Guinea | |
 Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Australasian |
| Biome | tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 26,539 km2 (10,247 sq mi) |
| Countries | |
| Coordinates | 8°54′S141°00′E / 8.9°S 141°E /-8.9; 141 |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Relatively stable/intact |
| Protected | 10419 km2 (39%)[1] |
TheTrans Fly savanna and grasslands are a lowlandecoregion on the south coast of the island ofNew Guinea in both theIndonesian andPapua New Guinean sides of the island. With their monsoon and dry season climate these grasslands are quite different from the tropicalrainforest that covers most of the island and resemble the landscape of northernAustralia which lies to the south.[2][3][4]
The name refers to theFly River.
From possibly as early as the 16th century, merchants fromMakassar,Seram and other parts of Indonesia conducted trade with the natives of the region's coast. Although trading contacts between the Southeast Asian merchants and the natives became more infrequent as time passed, there was a continued presence of traders in the region as late as the 1870's. Many of the native tribes obtained iron tools through this trade some time before the first European missionaries arrived in the area in the late 19th century.[5]
The area is mostly grassland that resembles nearby northern Australia and contains areas ofeucalyptus,albizzia, andmelaleuca woodland. The grasslands are renewed by regular fires at the end of the dry season.[citation needed]
The majority of the terrain consists of grasslands and savannas, although there are patches of dry evergreen forest. The diverse habitats in the region are influenced by factors such as seasonal rainfall, local topography, water drainage, and the burning practices of the local population. In areas that experience flooding during the wet season, Melaleuca forest predominates. The bamboo speciesSchizistachyum can be found between the adjacent forests and the savanna vegetation in the monsoonal area.[6]
While the grasslands are not as rich in wildlife as the rainforests of New Guinea, they are home to a number of endemic species. Mammals of the area include theNew Guinean planigale(Planigale novaeguineae),bronze quoll(Dasyurus spartacus),spectacled hare-wallaby(Lagorchestes conspicillatus) anddusky pademelon(Thylogale brunii). Birds of the area include theFly River grassbird(Megalurus albolimbatus) and thespangled kookaburra, a famous relative of the kingfisher which feeds on rodents and reptiles rather than fish. The area has an important number of reptiles and amphibians including the uniquepig-nosed turtle(Carettochelys insculpta).[citation needed]
This is a remote area with a large but very localised tribal population. Most habitats are intact although wildlife is vulnerable to collection, hunting and damage by logging and woodland clearance, especially as people migrate into the area on the Indonesian side. The grasslands are also modified by grazing of the introducedJavan rusa deer(Cervus timorensis). A third of the region is protected, particularly in Indonesia's largeWasur National Park on the coast and the adjoiningTonda Wildlife Management Area across the border in Papua New Guinea.[7]
Media related toTrans Fly Savanna and Grasslands Ecoregion at Wikimedia Commons