The Republic of the Fiji Islands consists of approximately
300 islands located roughly 3000 km east of Australia in
the Pacific Ocean (between 16 and 20oS, 177 and 175E).
There are four main islands in the group: Viti Levu, Vanua
Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu (Fig. 1). Natural populations of
Soga have only recorded from the islands of Viti Levu and
Ovalau (Fig. 1). Although once widespread within its
restricted distribution, today only 15 isolated populations
([0.5 ha) remain in small pockets on the coastal plains,
with three significant inland populations along the Navua
River (Fig. 1). The small, single Ovalau population is believed to be a relict population from the last ice age when
Ovalau was connected to Viti Levu by means of a land
bridge. There is at least one small population on Vanua
Levu but this is considered to be an introduced population
(Watling 2005).