Burung Indonesia Releases IBA Papua Data: 14 Species Globally Endangered

Papua is home to 641 bird species, according to a recent study. Of these, 252 species are endemic to the island of Papua and a further 75 species are endemic to Indonesia. Unfortunately, this biodiversity is under threat from unsustainable hunting, climate change, and landscape modification, factors that have pushed 14 bird species to be globally endangered. The findings are the result of the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in the Papua region by Burung Indonesia and a number of strategic partners.

In its statement on Friday, 6 March 2026, Burung Indonesia said the Papua IBA identification successfully mapped 59 important sites with a total area of 10,545,269 hectares, or 25.58 percent of Papua’s total area. This makes Papua the region with the highest number and largest IBA area in Indonesia, surpassing other regions. Among the dozens of sites, five are priority areas for further exploration due to ecological significance: Waigeo Island, Misool Island, Biak Island, the Cycloop Mountains, and Wandamen-Wondiboy.

Burung Indonesia noted that the IBA identification uses four science-based criteria that are consistently applied worldwide. The first criterion focuses on areas hosting globally endangered bird populations. The second criterion identifies locations with species that have a restricted distribution of less than 50,000 square kilometres. The third criterion highlights areas that are habitat for significant populations of birds that exist only in particular biomes. The fourth criterion applies to locations that host at least 1 percent of the total global population of species that live in colonies or large groups.

A site can meet one or more of these criteria. The IBA concept was first introduced globally in 1989 by the International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP), now BirdLife International. In Indonesia, priority area work began in 1993 starting from Java and Bali. Gradually, the identification progressed to Sumatra, Kalimantan, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Maluku, and finally reached a peak in Papua in early 2026. To date, 228 IBAs have been identified outside Papua, covering more than 19 million hectares.

Burung Indonesia says the Papua IBA data adds a missing piece to Indonesia’s conservation puzzle, ensuring that limited resources can be directed to areas with the highest conservation value for the future of the archipelago’s biodiversity.