JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — One of Earth’s most biodiverse marine regions is threatened by the expansion of nickel mining projects in Indonesia, according to a new report.
Satellite analysis and on-the-ground visits found a rapid increase in land given over to mining pits in Raja Ampat Regency, a group of tropical islands near West Papua, according to the report from Auriga Nusantara, an environmental and conservation organization in Indonesia.
A few degrees south of the equator, the islands are home to 75% of the world’s coral species and over 1,600 fish species, including critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles and vulnerable reef manta rays. The regency has at least nine marine protected areas spread over nearly 2 million hectares (4.9 million acres), and was named a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2023, recognizing the international value of its geological heritage.
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