Wildlife in the Northern Territory
Wildlife in the Northern Territory
The world-renowned World Heritage Listed Kakadu National Park is a permanent tropical home for one third of Australia’s bird species. Billabongs in the park attract a variety of magnificent birds including jabirus, jacanas, spoonbills, kingfishers, magpie geese and egrets. But without a doubt the most famous resident of the top end is the saltwater crocodile or ‘saltie’ , seen in billabongs and rivers, resting on mud flats and even floating around Darwin Harbour!
The Top End also offers a wealth of specialised fauna from water pythons, crocodiles, turtles, frill-necked lizards and barramundi to kangaroos, wallabies, emus, dingoes, flying foxes and thorny devils.
Further south, you encounter the spectacular desert scenery of Central Australia including the famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), rich in Aboriginal legend. Keep an eye out for euros (a species of kangaroo), cockatoos, ringneck parrots, honeyeaters, bustards, zebra finches, kestrels, whistling kites and an abundance of lizards.
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2 Responses to “Wildlife in the Northern Territory”
Hey!
I have red a lot on every homepage about Kakadu and northern territory. I have understood that wet season is in december-mars. I am going to travel in Australia in decemeber with my boyfriend and we want to know what kind of trips and what we can see in december? What can we see in Kakade for example in december, wildlife nature?
Best regards
Monika
Hi Monika
My apologies for not answering sooner.
The heaviest rainfall of the wet season generally occurs in late January to early March, and then there may be some flooding stopping you from getting to certain parts of Kakadu. Usually the only popular spot to be cut off is the road to Ubirr Rock which traverses creeks and floodplains.
December is one of my favourite times of year. Then we have the most magnificent thunderstorms – scientists travel to the Top End every year to see them. Also many plants are fruiting and songbirds are breeding. It’s a time of great change, from eight months of virtual drought to flooding monsoonal rains, and I find that there’s always an air of expectation, of discovery about the place.
The other good thing about December is that not many tourists are here at that time, and so you can walk around the rock art sites unaccompanied by crowds.
Let me know if you’ve any questions.
–
Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
1/7 Songlark Street, Bakewell NT 0832, AUSTRALIA
Ph. 61 08 89 328306
Mobile: 04 386 50 835
Birdwatching and Indigenous tourism consultant
PhD Candidate (Southern Cross University, NSW)
Interpreter/transcriber, Lonely Planet Guide to Aboriginal Australia
Vice-chair, Wildlife Tourism Australia
http://www.denisegoodfellow.com.au
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