Native plants and animalsNative plants and animals

Native plants and animals

The park’s ecosystems are home to a particularly rich assemblage of birds, reptiles, and plants adapted to Central Australia’s arid landscapes. In the context of Tjukurpa, the actions of ancestral animals such as mala (rufous hare-wallaby), paṉpaṉpaḻaḻa (crested bellbird), kuniya (Woma python), lungkaṯa (centralian blue-tongued lizard) and itjaritjari (marsupial mole) have important roles in the evolution of the form and features of Uluṟu.

The park’s flora represents a large portion of plants found in Central Australia. Among the 619 plant species recorded, five are relict species and seven rare or restricted species, which are generally only found in

the moist areas at the bases of Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa. At the time of writing this plan, no plant species in the park are listed under the EPBC Act, and only the desert quandong (Santalum acuminatum) is listed as vulnerable in the Northern Territory.

Historically, 46 native mammal species were recorded in the region covered by the park. A number of these are now extinct, or extinct in the wild. Surveys show that 21 native mammal species are found within the park. The mala or rufous hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes hirsutus), is listed as endangered under the EPBC Act and extinct in the wild under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2006 (the TPWC Act). Two other species are listed as vulnerable under the TPWC Act - the murtja or mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda) and the itjaritjari or marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops). For more information about these species see Appendix H. A number of mala were reintroduced into a large predator-proof enclosure in the park with the long-term objective of re-establishing a permanent population.

The park’s bird life is rich by Central–Western Desert standards, with over 170 bird species recorded. One of these, the princess parrot (Polytelis alexandrae), is listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act. Another bird species, the grey falcon (Falco hypoleucos), is listed as vulnerable under the TPWC Act. Many other species have restricted or sparse distributions, and a number of migratory species are also listed under the EPBC Act (see Appendix I).

The park has an extremely rich reptile fauna with over 70 species being recorded in the park. No other comparably sized area in the Australian semi-arid zone is known be as rich in reptiles (Reid et al. 1993). One species, the Tjakuṟa or great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei) is listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act (see Appendix H).

Four frog species have been recorded in the park and may be seen in abundance and heard after heavy rain.

The Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa landscape is representative of Central Australian arid ecosystems. Many of the species found in this region have suffered a general decline in distribution and abundance. Some species that formerly occurred in the park have now become extinct in the Northern Territory, and others have become extinct on mainland Australia. To Aṉangu, a decrease in the population or extinction of a species has implications for the condition and health of the landscape and for the ongoing maintenance of Tjukurpa. As such, Aṉangu have supported moves to reintroduce locally extinct animals such as the mala.