IGNYTE Magazine Issue 04 | Page 44

CON'T

Gemma Galbraith, PhD Candidate (James Cook University), Mahonia Na Dari Resident Researcher and Hope Spot Champion says, “Undertaking my PhD studying the ecology and biodiversity of the pinnacle reefs in Kimbe Bay has been like winning the lottery. Working in such an incredible environment as part of the long-term partnership between Mahonia Na Dari and my lab group at JCU is such a privilege. The Hope Spot designation for Kimbe Bay is truly deserved by this unique and breathtaking area. My work continues to suggest that here, you can still find hope for the future of coral reefs.”

Professor John Lane, Chico Environmental California, says, “Kimbe Bay is a rare place on this Earth where nature has been left alone to thrive. It appears to be biology on steroids as the biodiversity is unparalleled. The subsurface environment has not had the normal stressors of a coastal zone due to human disturbances and resource extraction. Kimbe Bay is a living library that has not been fully catalogued and warrants intensive research and discovery. Many forces of nature are at play in Kimbe Bay as the region is volcanically very active with many tectonic plates in the vicinity that are constantly moving. Beyond the volcanos hyper-karst landforms further contribute to the expanding biodiversity.”

Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered species belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys. The Father’s Area of West New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

44 45