Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Decorative image

    Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme

    Guiding energy-efficient design and construction for a net-zero future

    Find out more about NatHERS

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    Read our Nature Positive Plan

    Our plan sets out the Australian Government’s commitment to environmental law reform

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Office of the Science Convenor
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Decorative image

    Juukan Gorge response

    Read the Australian Government's response to the destruction at Juukan Gorge and the recommendations

    Read the response

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Parks and heritage
  3. National Parks
  4. Welcome to Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
  5. Natural environment
  6. Habitats

Sidebar first - EN - National parks

  • Natural environment
    • Landscapes
    • Habitats
    • Geology
    • Water
    • Climate and seasons
    • Plants and animals

Habitats

 

There are a range of habitats around Uluru and throughout the park. Learn the Anangu words for each of these environments and the types of plants and animals to thrive there.

 

Show all Hide all

Puli (rocky areas)

 

Only plants that can live in shallow, barren soils are found here. Anangu burn around puli to protect it from wildfires. Many animals come to drink or shelter in puli, but return to other habitats to graze and breed.

Walpa Gorge

Plants and animals found in puli:

  • kanyala (euro)
  • waru (black-footed rock-wallaby)
  • tjilkamata (echidna)
  • arutju (fat-tailed antechinus)

 

Karu (creek-lines)

 

Anangu usually find good supplies of water here. Although creeks are normally dry, waterholes can remain for months. Anangu dig for water along the creek beds and collect grass seeds, firewood, and timber for carving tools.

Ephemeral rain pools from water run-off at Uluru provide ideal breeding sites for Uluru's frog fauna

Plants found in karu:

  • kaltu-kaltu (native woollybutt)
  • muur-muurpa (bloodwood)
  • itara (river red gum)

 

Puti (acacia scrubland, often stony foothills)

 

Where the ground is hard and sometimes stony, kapi tjintjira (freshwater claypans) form after good rain and animals come to drink. Puti wanari is flat country and the ground storey can be spinifex or other grasses hiding many animal burrows. When the burrows flood during rain, the animals head for higher ground.

Plants and animals found in puti:

  • wanari (mulga)
  • tjala (honey ants)
  • Malu (red kangaroo)
  • kanyala (euro)
  • pintjatanpa (rabbit)
  • mingkiri (mice/small dasyurids)
  • tarkawara (spinifex hopping-mouse)

 

Pila (spinifex plains, low areas between dunes)

 

Pila is the most common habitat in the park. There are many trees and shrubs that provide seeds for animals and Anangu. When kjanpi (spinifex) is old with a ring in the middle Anangu burn it to allow new growth.

Plants and animals found in pila:

  • kurkara (desert oak)
  • watarka (umbrella bush)
  • kuur-muurpa (bloodwood)
  • kaliny-kalinypa (honey grevillea)
  • tarkawara (spinifex hopping mouse)
  • mutingka and muluny-mulunypa (striped skinks)
  • kuniya (woma python)
  • lungkata (centralian blue tongued lizard)
  • tjakura (giant desert skink)
  • kalaya (emu)
  • kipara (bustard)
  • tuuka (fox)
  • ngaya (cat)

 

Tali (sand dunes)

 

This habitat is very fragile. Spinifex and green shrubs grow here. In the mornings you can see networks of tracks on the sand. Many animals of the tali protect themselves by burrowing into the sand and emerge after rain. Generally, the small mammals that live in pila are also found in tali.

Plants and animals found in tali:

  • pukara (desert thryptomene)
  • watarka (umbrella bush)
  • walkalpa (emu poison bush)
  • nyitu (nut bush)
  • itjaritjari (marsupial mole)
  • mutingka (small skinks)

 

Nyaru (burnt or regenerating areas)

 

Pila and tali become nyaru after they are burned, with similar animals in both habitats. Animals flock to the nyaru after a fire because many types of food plants, such as seed grasses and succulents regenerate here.

Plants and animals found in nyaru:

  • tarkawara (spinifex hopping mouse)
  • tjantjalka (military dragon)
  • kampurarpa (desert raisin)
  • wiriny-wirinypa (bush tomato)

 

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 18 October 2021

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.