By: Theresa Chen 9GT

1. Kakadu National Park By: Theresa Chen 9GT

2. Brief Background of Kakadu National Park. • The name “Kakadu” comes from “Gagudju” which is the main Aboriginal language used in the North of Australia at the start of the 20th century. • Home to more than 50 types of mammals • 280 types of birds • 123 types of reptiles • 77 types of freshwater fish and 10,000 types of insects. • Covers a total area of 19,000 square kilometres. • 252 kilometres east of Darwin

3. How it helps nourish and preserve the national park. FLORA and FAUNA • Kakadu’s flora is one of the richest in Northern Australia and has more than 2000 species. • The flora and fauna of Kakadu co-exist with each other supporting one another, such as the fauna eating the flora to survive but co-exist peacefully because they can reproduce. • They are adapted with certain conditions which would mean particular conditions are suited with each species. • All species are a part of a complex food web because they have a natural place in the ecosystem.

4. Detailed Analysis of Introduced Species • Many species that have been introduced into Kakadu National Park were done by Non-Aborigines. • Introduced species are harmful to the natural environment for the native animals as they have traits, in a competitive sense, outdo the native species. • Introduced species are quite invasive as they require a lot more nourishment than native species. • Traits of the introduced species include: rapid reproduction, fast growth, the ability to change forms to suit the environment, the ability to vary between different types of dietary needs etc. • Introduced species reproduce rapidly and spread far faster and the mild climate in Kakadu gives them a longer period of time in the growing season. They spread unwanted weeds, attack native animals and increase the eroding of the land.

5. How introduced species have damaged the national parks • Introduced species have made huge amounts of impacts on Kakadu and are still a problem today. • An example of an introduced species is the Plague Minnow. • The Plague Minnow greatly affects the waters of Kakadu as they compete with the native fish for food and contributes to the reduction of some types of aquatic vegetation. • Another example of an introduced species is the Mimosa Pigra. • The Mimosa Pigra is a weed that is highly invasive and it grows to a height of six metres, it forms spiny thickets which create a barrier along riverbanks and floodplains. • This causes the prevention of access to waters, reducing biodiversity and pasture production. • Weeds are harmful to the environment because they compete with native flora for sunlight, water and nutrients but do not contribute to the food web as it does not provide appropriate food/needs for native wildlife.

6. Continued… • There are several types of species that have brought harm to Kakadu National Park. • These species include: feral cats, rats, mice, cane toads etc. • Feral cats are a nuisance to native wildlife as they prey on native mammals, birds and reptiles. They have a wide range of dietary needs. • Cane toads were originally introduced to get rid of pests that feed on sugar cane but they have now become pests themselves.

7. Government initiatives to help overcome this problem • Despite the government’s efforts to resolve this issue, many problems still haven’t been solved. • There are four main goals that the government has put forward to help maintain the native species and to help them thrive. • These are: Eradicate: preventing the spread of new invasive species (basically killing them). Exclude: prevent the establishing of new invasive species. Effectively Manage: reduce the impacts of widespread invasive species. Controlling the species so that they do not get out of hand. Capacity: ensure the government has the ability and commitment to manage these invasive species.

8. Tourists of Kakadu National park play a major role as weeds do not get noticed often by tourists and thus, are stepped on and transferred to a new location, which increases the ratio in which they spread to. • A thorough check of the tourists who enter the national park to ensure that they do not carry any introduced species with them. • Clean everything that you possess, avoid “cross contamination”. • Food should not be thrown to native animals as they might not be able to adapt to it or that the food may contain an introduced species. Possible Solutions

9. Linked Songs and Videos about introduced species. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX1NKYtRMjQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ib3LcNOWCk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps6c4tGxnHM&feature=related Interactive Games, Maps, Fun activities. http://games.pppst.com/animals.html http://kids.nationalgeographic.com.au/kids/stories/spacescience/invasive-plants/ http://is.cbr.tulane.edu/InvasiveSpecies.html Linked songs and videos about introduced species Included interactive games, maps and fun activities about introduced species.

10. Bibliography • http://www.kakadu.com.au/bio/fauna.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kakadu_3333.jpg • http://www.kakadu.com.au/bio/flora.html • http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/pubs/invasive.pdf • http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/publications/brochures/pubs/success-m-pigra.pdf