Human hunting of wildlife has been identified as a major threat to the conservation of biodiversity in tropical forests. While people have lived and hunted in tropical forests for thousands of years, recent studies indicate that hunting may no longer be sustainable in some areas. The continued use of forest resources is essential if an alternative is to be found to large scale and destructive development (e.g. logging and mining).

Papua New Guinea is a priority area for conservation with large areas of land still covered by forest and high levels of species endemism. Much of this forest is still owned and managed by the indigenous people of PNG. While this is encouraging, PNG is changing: the population is increasing, hunting technology has advanced, traditional taboos are being lost and the increasing ease of transport is altering the market for animal products. It is therefore vital to assess the impact of hunting in PNG. Surveys will provide a description of current hunting activity and indicate those species that are most likely to be at risk and will thus help direct future research priorities.