2014
FACT SHEET AND PROJECT UPDATES
Updated 2016 and 2017
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These four projects will kick start work on the Kakadu Threatened Species Strategy. This $750,000 Australian Government investment has been mobilised by the Threatened Species Commissioner.
Project 1 - Targeting Threats from Fire, Weeds and Feral Animals
This project takes action to improve the conservation of Kakadu’s threatened species through intensive fire management with associated weed and feral animal control.
Project update
Year 2 update (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- Fire management plans for each of the three project sites have been implemented. Controlled burning was completed for the 2016 dry season, focusing on strategic fire breaks in and around the sites, to prevent unplanned wildfires from entering or spreading and to retain fuel. Burning was undertaken by helicopter as well as ground burning with Traditional Owners. Wet season burning then commenced in December 2016, to reduce speargrass dominance and create a patch mosaic.
- Fauna monitoring using remote cameras is being undertaken by our partners, the Northern Territory Government Department of Land and Resource Management, with funding provided by the National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) Northern Australia Environmental Resources and Threatened Species Recovery Hubs.
- An aerial baseline survey of feral pigs, buffalo, cattle, horses and donkeys was undertaken to gather data on feral numbers, followed by aerial culling in December 2016, with a total of 255 animals removed from the project sites.
- Feral animal specialist, James Speed, from Biosecurity Queensland visited the park to advise on feral cat management strategies. Soft jaw leg hold traps set in elevated pits with scent lures have been selected as the most appropriate method of control for the Kakadu environment. Trials are underway without the leg hold traps to ensure the elevated pits pose minimal risk to native wildlife. If successful, the traps will be added to the pits and the results will be closely monitored.
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Year One (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- Traditional owners have approved the use of three sections of the park for the project. The areas to be used include a 300km2 site near Nourlangie Rock, a 1,500km2 site in northern Kakadu between the East and South Alligator Rivers, and a 300km2 site in the northwest section of the park. A fourth site in the southern region of the park about 200km2 is being discussed with traditional owners.
- Extensive consultation with traditional owners about fire management has been undertaken.
- The Northern Territory Government Department of Land and Resource Management will oversee biological monitoring with funding provided through the National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) Northern Australia Environmental Resources and Threatened Species Recovery Hubs. Methods to control feral cats are being explored. This includes the possible trial of a cat grooming trap. Cat control is expected to start in the dry season.
- Consultation with community members is ongoing and fire management plans will be developed for each of the project sites.
- Further exploration of cat control methods will take place in 2016.
Project details
$450,000
Intensive work to target threats from fire, weeds and feral animals in crucial habitat, extending from the Stone Country to the lowland woodlands.
- The fire work will create longer gaps between bushfires and reduce the number of high intensity fires - both vital to the survival of species such as the vulnerable partridge pigeon and threatened ecological communities such as the Arnhem Plateau sandstone shrubland complex.
- The project will also target (and where possible, locally eradicate) gamba grass, mission grass, cats, buffalo and pigs in areas that are important for species such as the northern quoll and brush tailed rabbit rat.
Project 2 - Creating a Wildlife Refuge on Gardangarl (Field Island)
This project involves practical action to improve the long-term viability of Kakadu’s threatened wildlife through the management of an island refuge.
Project update
Year 2 update (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- A small mammal survey was carried out in August 2015, revealing a high abundance of grassland melomys (Melomys burtoni), but no small-medium mammal diversity beyond this species. A vegetation assessment of the island was completed by the NT Government Department of Land and Resource Management, to assess habitat suitability for future translocations.
- Cane toad monitoring in 2016 discovered many toadlets and a few adults in and around freshwater creeks and swamps. While toads die off once the island’s freshwater seasonally dries up, cane toad control measures have now been implemented, using solar-powered cane toad traps.
- A burning program of cool patch burning has been implemented to begin breaking up fuel loads and diversify habitats.
- Plans are underway to translocate the threatened brush-tailed rabbit-rat (Conilurus penicillatus) to Field Island from Garig Ganuk Barlu National Park on the Cobourg Peninsula. This translocation aims to establish an additional viable population on the feral predator-free island to support conservation of the species. Approval for the translocation has been gained from the Cobourg Board of Management and a translocation plan prepared. The translocation of ~30 individuals is planned for April-May 2017. Once released on the island, animals will initially be tracked daily to monitor dispersal, while ongoing monitoring will use cameras and trapping. In collaboration with Charles Darwin University, nest boxes will be installed on the island to increase the survival rate of the rabbit-rats.
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Year One (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- A four-night small mammal survey was carried out at Field Island in August 2015. The survey revealed a high abundance of grassland melomys, but no small to medium mammal diversity beyond this species.
- Cane toad monitoring was undertaken on the island on October 2015. Four dead toads were discovered near one of the dried-up soaks. This was unexpected, as conditions on the island were very dry this year and it was assumed toads would have long died out. Toad-control measures will therefore be implemented in 2016.
- Relocation of the brush-tailed rabbit-rat from Coburg Peninsula to Field Island is expected once approval has been finalised. If approved the relocation would take place in September 2016.
- A vegetation assessment of Field Island is underway by the Northern Territory Government Department of Land and Resource Management in preparation for the relocation.
Project details
$50,000
Creating a wildlife refuge on Gardangarl (Field Island) for species struggling on the mainland including small mammals and goannas.
- Cane toads will be eradicated from the island, and rangers will target weeds, feral animals, marine debris and bushfire to create a safe haven to threatened species.
- The flatback turtles that already nest on the island will continue to be protected and the world-leading monitoring program will continue.
Project 3 - Expansion of the 'Toad Smart' Quolls Project
This project aims to reintroduce ‘toad smart’ northern quolls to the Mary River District, Kakadu National Park, expanding on the toad smart quoll research conducted in Kakadu since 2010.
Project update
Year 2 update (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- Baseline surveys were undertaken around the quoll release area at the Mary River by the Northern Territory Government Department of Natural Resource Management. In conjunction with Kakadu’s threatened species team and traditional owners, 200 camera traps were deployed to assess feral cat densities. Prescribed burning was carried out around the release site to install strategic firebreaks and retain internal cover for the quolls.
- In February 2016, 64 juvenile northern quolls were captured from Astell Island and transported to the Territory Wildlife Park, where they underwent cane toad aversion training.
- The first quoll release occurred during April and May 2016. Twenty-two toad-trained quolls were released, with 7 untrained quolls as controls. Initial survivorship suggested the training was successful, with few trained quolls succumbing to toads. At the end of the 3-week tracking period 3 trained quolls were surviving at the site. Where evidence of mortality was found, 6 were thought to have succumbed to dingo predation and 4 to toads.
- The second quoll release occurred in May 2017, with 9 trained quolls released. Of these, two females survived. Of the remainder found deceased, 5 are believed to have succumbed to toads, one to dingo predation and one from other causes.
- Based on these results, the Kakadu trial to reintroduce toad-smart northern quolls will not proceed with any further releases until the method is refined.
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Year One (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- A 150km2 site near the Mary River Ranger Station in southern Kakadu has been selected for the project. The quoll release location will be in and around Fern Gully.
- The Northern Territory Government Department of Natural Resource Management is implementing baseline surveys of the area. They have worked with Kakadu’s threatened species team, rangers and traditional owners to deploy 200 camera traps across the project area. The survey will assess feral cat densities and determine whether quolls remain in the area.
- Quolls that are being collected from Astell Island will be taken to the Territory Wildlife Park to be ‘toad trained’ before release into Kakadu.
- An Indigenous person from the southern end of the park will be recruited to work for two months at the Territory Wildlife Park where they’ll be trained about quoll husbandry and toad training.
- Next steps include completing a baseline survey and undertaking a second quoll capture mission.
Project details
$200,000
Expansion of the ‘toad smart’ quolls project, building on the highly successful research conducted in Kakadu since 2010.
- 150 ‘toad smart’ northern quolls will be reintroduced to the Mary River region in Kakadu’s south, an area where they haven’t been seen since 2004. This is a major increase on the current scale of the project (the 2010 release involved 25 quolls).
- Before their release, the quolls will be trained not to eat cane toads, which are highly poisonous. Our earlier research has proven this approach works - the quolls taught their offspring not to eat cane toads, resulting in a five-fold increase in the localised quoll population.
Project 4 - Rescue Plan for Threatened Plants
This project involves practical steps to improve the conservation of the threatened plant species of Kakadu National Park through ex situ seed conservation.
Project update
Year 2 update (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- Seed collections have been undertaken by Kakadu staff, Traditional Owners and Aboriginal ranger groups, the National Seed Bank at the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG), and the Darwin Botanic Gardens. Five field trips have occurred over 2015 and 2016.
- Seed and/or cuttings have been collected from 17 target species, including two EPBC listed and 14 State listed threatened plant species. Opportunistic collections have also been made from an additional 67 plant species.
- Propagation trials are underway and have shown promising results. The ANBG has germinated and grown the EPBC Listed Kakadu Hibiscus (Hibiscus brennanii) and the Darwin Botanic Gardens have propagated 32 species, including NT listed species Calytrix inopinata, Bolbitis quoyana and Freycinetia excelsa.
- Surveys are being carried out to establish the population and distribution of target threatened plant species. A survey of the NT listed Vulnerable Hibbertia sp. South Magela located 2351 plants, more than double the number compared to the previous estimate of less than 1000 plants in 2014.
- A population assessment of EPBC listed Critically Endangered Graveside Gorge Wattle (Acacia equisitifolia) is planned for April 2017.
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Year One (3-year project)
Overview of progress
- Consultation with traditional owners about seed collection on their country was undertaken.
- Specimens from 15 threatened plant species were collected during two Kakadu field trips in May and August 2015 and propagation trials have shown promising results.
- The project provided training in seed collection for park staff and Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation rangers.
- Plans to propagate plants at Kakadu are underway.
- This project helps Kakadu develop recovery plans for threatened plants.
- Kakadu’s greenhouse will be upgraded in preparation for the 2016 dry season.
- Indigenous rangers will be trained to manage propagation activities.
Project details
$50,000
A rescue plan for threatened plants, many of which occur nowhere else in the world.
- Seeds will be collected and ‘banked’ to ensure long term survival of the species.
- The plants will be propagated and translocated, to create insurance populations of these important plants, with potential to cultivate plants for commercial sale.