New Caledonia Dry Forests - A Global Ecoregion
Most of the original dry forest cover is gone
Snapshot: Ecoregion 53
Size:
4,400 sq. km (1,700 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Geographic Location:
New Caledonia (Provence Sur - France, Provence Nord), a large island northeast of Australia
Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered
Quiz Time!
Why is Captaincookie margaretea so-named?
Answer:
Captaincookie margaretea is named after Captain Cook, the first European who discovered the island. The 10 feet stalks of this plant have red flowers and streamers!
About the Area
New Caledonia represents a fragment of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Isolated for millions of years, the New Caledonian dry forests are one of the most unique on Earth with more than 2,500 of their known 3,400 native plant species found nowhere else.
Most of the original dry forest cover is gone and whatever remains covers large parts of the western side of Grand Terre.Recently, a presumed extinct species of parchment bark tree was seen here.
Local Species
This forest's deciduous trees are dense but not too tall, only 30-40 feet (9-12 m). A variety of wild rice, Oryza neocalidonea, adapted to dry conditions; and the rare plant, Captaincookia margaratae - is found in the New Caledonian Dry 'and' Moist Forests.
Threats
Major threats to the last patches of remaining habitat include clearing for expansion of pastures, uncontrolled burning, herbivory, and predation by introduced species.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
