In which country would you visit the Trans Fly savanna and grasslands?

The Trans Fly savanna and grasslands are a lowland eco-region on the south coast of the island of New Guinea. With their monsoon and dry season climate, these grasslands are quite different from the tropical rainforest that covers most of the island and resemble the landscape of northern Australia which lies to the south.

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 the New Guinean planigale (Planigale novaeguineae), bronze quoll (Dasyurus spartacus), spectacled hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes conspicillatus) and dusky pademelon (Thylogale brunii). Birds of the area include the Fly River grassbird (Megalurus albolimbatus) and the spangled kookaburra, a species of the 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 unique pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta).

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.

The Tonda Wildlife Management Area in Papua New Guinea is a protected region.