internal report 623 Kakadu National Park Symposia Series Symposium 7: Conservation of threatened species, 26–27 March 2013, Bowali Visitor Centre, Kakadu National Park S Winderlich & J Woinarski (eds) June 2014 Release status – unrestricted This page has been left blank intentionally. Kakadu National Park Symposia Series Symposium 7: Conservation of threatened species, 26-27 March 2013, Bowali Visitor Centre, Kakadu National Park Edited by S Winderlich1 & J Woinarski2 1 Kakadu National Park, NT 0886 2 National Environment Research Program, North Australia Hub, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909 Published by Supervising Scientist Division GPO Box 461, Darwin NT 0801 June 2014 (Release status – unrestricted) How to cite this report: Winderlich S & Woinarski J (eds) 2014. Kakadu National Park Landscape Symposia Series. Symposium 7: Conservation of threatened species, 26–27 March 2013, Bowali Visitor Centre, Kakadu National Park. Internal Report 623, June, Supervising Scientist, Darwin. How to cite papers in this report: Cowie ID & Liddle DT 2013. Threatened plants in Kakadu: past, present and future. In Kakadu National Park Landscape Symposia Series. Symposium 7: Conservation of threatened species. eds S. Winderlich & J Woinarski, 26–27 March 2013, Bowali Visitor Centre, Kakadu National Park. Internal Report 623, June, Supervising Scientist, Darwin, 13-32. Editors of this report: Steve Winderlich – Kakadu National Park, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch, PO Box 71, Jabiru, NT 0886, Australia John Woinarski – National Environment Research Program, North Australia Hub, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909 The Supervising Scientist is part of the Australian Government Department of the Environment. Supervising Scientist Department of the Environment GPO Box 461, Darwin NT 0801 Australia © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia, 2014 IR623 is licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia for use under a Creative Commons By Attribution 3.0 Australia licence with the exception of the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, the logo of the agency responsible for publishing the report, content supplied by third parties, and any images depicting people. For licence conditions see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ Internet: environment.gov.au/ssd/publications The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication. Printed and bound in Darwin NT by Supervising Scientist Division. Contents Acknowledgements vii 1. Introduction: the conservation of threatened species of Kakadu National Park 1 S Winderlich & J Woinarski 1 2. The views and knowledge of Bininj/Mungguy on Kakadu National Park’s threatened species 3 S Winderlich & A O’Dea 3 APPENDIX 2.1: Contents of the Kakadu National Park 5th Plan of Management (2007–2014) relevant to Threatened Species 14 APPENDIX 2.2: Bininj/Mungguy Questionnaire on threatened species of Kakadu National Park 15 APPENDIX 2.3: Sample page from the booklet with photos of threatened and other species that was used to obtain information from traditional owners and Bininj/Mungguy 16 APPENDIX 2.4: Threatened species in Priority order 17 3. Threatened plants in Kakadu: past, present and future 31 ID Cowie & DT Liddle 31 4. Threatened invertebrates in Kakadu National Park 48 AN Andersen, C Humphrey & MF Braby 48 5 Threatened fishes and marine turtles of Kakadu National Park (with notes on marine mammals) 58 PM Kyne 58 6. Threatened reptile and frog species of Kakadu National Park: current status; known and potential threats; and what needs to be done for them? 75 G Gillespie & A Fisher 75 7 Threatened birds of Kakadu National Park: which species?; how are they faring? and what needs to be done for them? 85 J Woinarski & S Garnett 85 8 Threatened terrestrial mammals of Kakadu National Park: which species?; how are they faring? and what needs to be done for them? 93 J Woinarski & A. Fisher 93 iii 9 Captive Breeding – is there a role in species conservation? 105 D Wedd 105 10. Threatened species of Kakadu National Park: synthesis and conclusion 115 S Winderlich & J Woinarski 115 iv List of participants Name Organisation Andersen Alan CSIRO Anderson Roy TO Jawoyn Association Baird Frederick KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Baird Mathias KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Bean Josh SSD Barrowei Ryan BOM, TO, Jawoyn Association Blanch Stuart ECNT Blyth Mary KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Chaloupka Roman Djabulukgu Association Christophersen Peter Kakadu Native Plants Cooke Peter Warddeken Contarino Anthony KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Cowie Ian NT DLRM Deegan Samantha KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Ellis Mark SSD Elsley Katie Defence Fisher Alaric NT DLRM Garnett Stephen CDU Gellert Cherie ERA Gillespie Graeme NT DLRM Harrison Louise KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Hammer Michael NT Museum & Art Gallery Hunter Fred KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Hunter Jenny KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Ingram Craig AFANT Kerin Sarah KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch v Name Organisation Kyne Peter CDU Lawson Violet BOM, TO Lee Jeff BOM, TO, KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch McGregor Sandra Kakadu Native Plants McIntyre Dan ERA McPhee Andrew PWCNT Mee Brendan KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Miles Greg Morris Ian Nabulwad Gleeson Djabulukgu Association Nayinggul Grant Djabulukgu Association Nayinggul Connie TO O’Dea Anne KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch O’Loughlin Gabrielle KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Rawlinson Margaret KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Salau Buck KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Tyler Ben KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Watson Berribob Warddeken Webster Sean NTP&WC Wedd Dion NT P&WC Territory Wildlife Park Wilson Kathy KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Winderlich Steve KNP, Parks Operations and Tourism Branch Woinarski John CDU Yibarbuk Dean Warddeken vi Acknowledgements The threatened species workshop was planned and facilitated by Steve Winderlich the Natural & Cultural Programs Manager for Kakadu National Park and John Woinarski National Environment Research Program (NERP), North Australia Hub. Alaric Fisher and Graeme Gillespie from the Flora & Fauna Division of the Northern Territory Department of Land Resource Management made valuable contributions in refining the workshop agenda and objectives. The workshop received significant contributions from the Parks Australia and the National Environmental Research Program North Australia Hub under the direction of Michael Douglas of CDU: without this support the forum would not have been possible. Thanks also to all those who demonstrated a shared the commitment to improve the management of threatened species in Kakadu and the region and gave of their time to attend the forum. In particular, we acknowledge Alan Anderson, Peter Kyne, Ian Cowie, Graeme Gillespie and Dion Wedd who presented and were part of the Technical Working group that met the day after the workshop to consider the outcomes of the first day and start the process of producing a Threatened Species Strategy for the park. The role of the National Environment Research Program, Charles Darwin University, NT Department of Land Resource Management, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences Darwin NT, Supervising Scientist, Territory Wildlife Park, and Kakadu National Park in supporting the involvement of their staff is gratefully acknowledged. Staff from the Natural and Cultural Programs Section of Kakadu National Park provided logistical support which was essential to the smooth running of the forum. Thanks also to eriss for their role in publishing these proceedings as part of their internal report Series. vii 1. Introduction: the conservation of threatened species of Kakadu National Park S Winderlich1 & J Woinarski2 The Threatened Species Symposium is the seventh in the series of symposia and workshops held by Kakadu National Park (KNP). The previous volumes have focused on landscape change (Walden & Nou 2008) and factors driving biodiversity change: weeds (Winderlich 2010a), fire (Atkins & Winderlich 2010), climate change (Winderlich 2010b), feral animals (Jambrecina 2010), and Cultural Heritage (S. Winderlich (ed) not yet published). Threatened species have been considered in these previous symposia, but have not been the primary focus. This symposium was held at the Bowali Visitor Centre Training Room in Jabiru on 26– 27 March 2013. Fifty one participants attended, from a wide range of stakeholders, including Traditional Owners, government agencies, academic institutions, neighbouring landholders, and non-government conservation organisations. As with the previous symposia in this series, the aims of this symposium were (i) to have an effective two-way transfer of knowledge between KNP staff, researchers, the Kakadu Research Advisory Committee (KRAC) members, stakeholders and Traditional Owners on issues relating to the conservation and management of threatened plant and animal species and, less directly, on other species of biodiversity or cultural