Adventure Ausrama Blog

The Northern Territory has a low population density, so it could expected that natural fauna would remain dominant over human destruction of the environment. Apparently, this is not the case. A study observed Aboriginal elders and their interaction with wildlife. Comparing findings with previous records showed a decline in the mammal population. Only small numbers of quoll, black-footed rat and golden bandicoot survive. Nearly 50 new animals have been included in the endangered list this year. Two mammals and a bird have now been declared extinct. Small and medium size animals are affected most. Large animals are unaffected. It seems large animals such as kangaroos benefit from the presence of humans. Planned action is proving beneficial. Improved fire control has raised the number of gouldian finches. Reptiles are doing well. Specimens of the bronzeback lizard have been found. They were thought to be extinct in the Northern Territory. Damage has been done by the influx o...

The Northern Territory Government is planning to build a housing estate across the road from an animal crematorium in Darwin. A dog exploded at the crematorium late one night. Bystanders said a strong yellow glow could be seen emanating from the chimney. Apparently, The dog had not been defrosted properly. A nearby resident said it was not unusual for such things to happen at the crematorium. Government officials said the housing zone will be completely separated from the light industrial area where the pet crematorium is situated.  If people passing by can see unusual happenings already the distance between the operation and the new housing estate had better be a long way.  On the other hand, the odd fireworks display never hurt anyone. http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/ http://www.tysaustralia.blogspot.com/ http://www.feeds.feedburner.com/AdventureAustralia http://www.technorati.com/blogs/ http://adventure--australia.blogspot.com . . . . . ...

Crocodile safaris in Australia could soon be established - take a trip to Australia and go hunting. Saltwater crocodiles are carefully managed to assure their survival, so hunting will not seriously affect their numbers. Indeed, present numbers are at an all-time high. If the Federal government agrees to safaris, money will flood into the Northern Territory providing jobs for Aboriginals. The Northern Territory government is in favor of it. Initially, it is intended for 50 crocodiles to be hunted over a two year period. This is very low and there will be strong demand from overseas visitors to hunt more. The Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) claims that killing crocodiles with guns is a skilled job. Ordinary people with guns will botch up the kill and crocodiles will suffer. The Northern Territory environment minister, Karl Hampton counters this by saying wild pigs and Buffalo are already efficiently killed by hunters. Any crocodile safaris will be r...

You don't have to be big to kill a crocodile. A relatively small imported pest can kill one. Cane toads are in plague proportions in the Northern Territory.  Some like it so much here they have grown to be much larger than in their native Central America. Cane toads have poisonous sacks on their heads. When a saltwater crocodile eats a toad assuming it to be a tasty snack the salty ingests the poison and dies.  The problem is so serious that the crocodile population has fallen by half in some areas. Because the species takes a long time to breed up numbers, crocodiles could become very scarce in some regions. Introducing cane toads was a great mistake by Australian scientists. They were brought in to combat beetles destroying sugar crops in 1935, but the toads ignored the beetles and now threaten many native species by eating what they eat. To travel faster around the country some toads have developed larger hind legs to cover a greater distance before the sun goes down....