MammalWatch

Mammals in North Australia are under threat and suffering rapid declines. Currently we are not sure of the cause of this decline and how to reverse it. Changing land use and fire regimes, ferals disease could all be playing a role, as could changes in climate.

Dr John Woinarski and colleagues in the Northern Territory published a study showing a very rapid and severe decline of native mammals in Kakadu. The biologists surveyed 25 species in more than 130 plots over 13 years. They observed that the number of species declined by 54 percent per plot, and the number of animals by 71 percent.

This website is designed to provide information about mammals from across Northern Australia. This include the Northern Territory, the Kimberly region and North QLD (currently excluding the Wet Tropic rainforests). The system contains information about mammal species, including pictures, calls and maps, and allows people to ask questions and provide information about environmental issues in relation to mammals.

The site will also provide a coordination point for researchers and others working on issues relating to mammal decline in nth Australia.

The site is designed to perform a public education and awareness raising role as well as providing a coordination role to the research and wildlife sectors. One specific function is to provide a key knowledge bridge between these professional groups and the general public and wildlife enthusiasts.

The system is built on a database system to enable management of the systems to be distributed amongst the groups involved with the site and to maximise the automation of information flows and processes.

The core aims of the MammalWatch (NT)project are to

  • provide a focus point for information about the mammals of North Australia
  • facilitate community knowledge and awareness about mammals and related issues
  • educate people about mammals in an attempt to increase knowledge about species and their distribution.
  • facilitate collaboration by researchers and other professionals working in this area. facilitate knowledge transfer, in both directions, between the general community, including indigenous communities, and the researchers
  • raise the profile or mammal related issues in the NT through education.

The website aims to

  • To promote awareness of mammals and related environmental issues.
  • To provide a focus on mammal issues in the NT.
  • To play a coordination role for mammal activities and facilitate research communication.
  • To provide resources to support mammal based activities.
  • Maintain a bridging role between the scientific community and the general public.
  • Data gathering relating to the invasion of Cane Toads.

 

Please take the time to register as a user of the site as this will allow you access to more detailed sections of the information than just browsing a s guest.
Contact Information
Frogwatch NT
19 Tasman Circuit

Wagaman NT 0810
 ;;
Ian Morris
ianmorris@riyala.org