19 – Parks Australia monitoring for threatened species^261(Fig. 19.2). In other cases, the monitoring targets selected threatened species.
Monitoring is generally undertaken by Parks Australia staff or partners (including
university researchers and conservation groups). Examples of the multi-species
monitoring programs include long-term research at Kakadu and Christmas Island
National Parks.
At Christmas Island, biennial surveys have been carried out since 2001 at
800–1000 sites spread across the island. The surveys were originally designed to
gather data on the distribution and abundance of yellow crazy ants (a key threat on
the island) and red crabs Gecarcoidea natalis (a critical species threatened by the
crazy ants), as an island-wide program of ant control was implemented. The surveys
were later expanded to collect data on several threatened species, including several
bird species (e.g. the Christmas Island thrush Turdus poliocephalus erythropleurus,
the Christmas Island emerald dove Chalcophaps indica natalis, and Abbott’s booby
Papasula abbotti). This program has provided valuable data on population trends;
for example, it indicated a possible decline in the population of Christmas Island
f lying fox Pteropus natalis, leading to its uplisting under the EPBC Act, and to
increased investment in both threat management (e.g. cat control) and supporting
research (into ecology and movements, disease screening, conservation planning).
Monitoring of yellow crazy ant abundance combined with off-target impacts and
cost considerations led to the abandonment of the use of the pesticide Fipronil.
Consequently, the development of a biological control agent was undertaken to
protect the crab species of Christmas Island through a partnership between Latrobe
University and Parks Australia.
Between 1996 and 2016, surveys of the f lora of Kakadu have been carried out
every 5 years at 133 sites across the park. Fauna at the same sites has been surveyed
at least twice (between 2001–2004 and 2007–2010). This research was pivotal to
confirming small mammal declines across northern Australia (Woinarski et al.
2010), thus triggering additional research under the National Environmental
Research Program and National Environmental Science Programme into the causes
of decline, and also precipitating a drastic modification of the approach to fire
management in Kakadu. The park is now focusing on an extensive early dry season
burn campaign, which reduces the extent and severity of late dry season wildfires
and increases the extent of unburnt patches in the savanna (late dry season fires are
thought to be an important reason for small mammal decline). The early dry season
burning has also allowed some burning to occur in the wet season and the
subsequent creation of finer scaled fire mosaics across the landscape.
Single-species monitoring programs
Parks Australia and partners undertake a large number of monitoring programs
that focus on an individual threatened species. The majority of these targeted
programs assess the population status of the species, aspects of their ecology