But the future of the park, and the lives of the animals it cares for, are threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus lockdowns of PNG’s capital have slashed visitor numbers by three-quarters, jeopardising the park’s ability to continue running and keep the animals fed and safe.

The park has been forced to retrench some staff and move others to live onsite in makeshift accommodation to help stop Covid spread and care for the animals.

On top of their normal operating costs, the park has been covering living costs for their employees, but food supplies are drying up for both humans and animals and employees are having to find creative ways to modify animal diets.

“The park is the only rescue centre for the whole country,” chief executive Michelle McGeorge said, “so when injured animals, orphaned or baby animals are brought to us, we rehabilitate and release them back into the wild while the particularly young animals or injured ones that come to us can’t be released into the wild so we look after them.”

The park is also an integral part of its community – it employs dozens of workers from neighbouring suburbs, and buys its supplies from local stores. It is one of the few places for school excursions in Port Moresby.

“And with the potential closure,” McGeorge said, “it means children won’t have the opportunity to develop [their interest in] sciences.

“Apart from what they learn in the classroom, many of the schools in Port Moresby, their teaching is literally what the teacher draws on the boards, whereas here the kids can dig for worms and get really hands on, and see the animals.”

PNG, the most populous nation in Melanesia, stands on the threshold of a potentially devastating wave of Covid infections.

While border closures and domestic shutdowns have kept official infection numbers very low by global standards – just 507 cases and five deaths - there are fears the country’s fragile health system could quickly be overwhelmed by an unconstrained outbreak.

Limited testing means the virus is almost certainly far more widespread.

Formerly the city’s botanic gardens, the park was established as a charity in 2012, and is largely reliant on visitor admissions for its revenue, supplemented by some government support.

Unlike other businesses that can be shuttered and reopened, zoos continue to have operational costs: food for animals, electricity and water that have to be maintained.

If the park was forced to close, animals would face an uncertain future released into the wild, or would have to be euthanised. The zoo’s program rescuing trafficked or abandoned animals would cease.

“Right now, we don’t want to be thinking about what would happen to the animals if the park closes,” McGeorge said, “but rather if we can find support and that people can be able to give us just a little bit to keep us going.”

THE PORT MORESBY NATURE PARK’S WILDLIFE APPEAL CAN BE FOUND HERE