Protecting+Kakadu

Aboriginal people have protected the nature and animals of Kakadu for thousands of years. Now the park has to be protected from tourism, mining, weeds and introduced animals because all these things can damage the beautiful environment. Some animal threats to Kakadu are the cane toads, pigs, bees and water buffalo. They are a threat to the other animals, the wetlands and the soil.

There are approximately 63 staff members at Kakadu National Park that keep all the things that can damage the environment at a low minimum. Sixty-four species of native mammals live in Kakadu so the staff have to make sure they're looking after all those animals! There is a team of rangers, their job is to make sure the new plant, Mimosa, is kept out of the park because the plant chokes many of the creeks and rivers. Although it seems that this is a simple job, without these rangers, it could greatly impact Kakadu National Park's environment.There are also areas that tourists are not allowed to enter because it might be an endangered species habitat, or, it is an Aboriginal sacred site. People who work there also monitor the park by writing down observations. Then they go and tell the manager if there's anything unusual or something that could damage the park. People who work there rely on the knowledge that the aboriginal people have found out over thousands of years to be able to manage Kakadu National Park today.

We believe that Kakadu National Park should be protected because it's an amazing environment and to see it destroyed would be horrible. As a World Heritage site in Australia it should stay because it is one of the many things that make Australia a country. Also, because many endangered animals are in the Kakadu region, if proper care wasn't taken to insure Kakadu was maintained, many animals would become extinct. Some people dedicate their time to look after Australia's environment and they would have no job if Kakadu was destroyed. If Kakadu wasn't a tourist park people could go there and hunt the animals, or disturb or scare them. Also, this would put people in danger without crocodile warning signs. It also wouldn't be fair to the aboriginal people who made sure this land was protected for thousands of years, then let threats come and damage the park. That is why we believe that we should protect Kakadu National Park!

Bye, Helen and Annalise