Christmas Island National Park
Christmas Island National Park Australia | |
---|---|
Nearest town or city | Flying Fish Cove |
Coordinates | 10°25′S 105°40′E / 10.417°S 105.667°E |
Established | 1980 |
Area | 85 km2 (32.8 sq mi) |
Managing authorities | Director of National Parks |
Website | Christmas Island National Park |
Christmas Island National Park is a
History
Concerns were expressed in the early 1970s about the effect of phosphate mining on the flora and fauna of Christmas Island. A particular focus was on the habitat of Abbott's booby (Papasula abbotti),[2] which appeared in danger of extinction. In 1974 a governmental committee examined the environmental impact of mining and other commercial activities and advised on measures to protect the island.[2] The committee's recommendation that an area of the island be set aside for conservation was implemented in a series of measures culminating in the establishment of the Christmas Island National Park on 21 February 1980 under the terms of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.[2]
The park initially covered the south-west corner of the island, and was extended in 1986 and 1989 to include most of the rainforest on the island.[3] Today the park covers approximately 85 km2 (33 sq mi), or 63% of the island.[1]
Geology and geography
Christmas Island consists of an uplifted limestone cap metamorphosed from coral reefs overlying more ancient volcanic andesite bedrock.[4] The underlying seamount lies some 500 km (310 mi) southwest of Indonesia, and the isolation by the abyssal zone has led to endemism amongst the marine ecosystem. The park's boundaries extend 50 m (160 ft) beyond the low water line.[5] Approximately 46 km (29 mi) of the island's 73 km (45 mi) shoreline is within the park limits.[4]
Many stretches of the shoreline are marked by rock platforms, which are filled by wave splashes to create
Christmas Island's two Ramsar sites, The Dales and Hosnies Spring, are contained within the park.
Flora and fauna
Both the waters surrounding the island and its land surface are fecund, and the park exhibits a high level of
Fauna
Crabs
The island is particularly noted for its prodigious populations of Christmas Island red crabs (Gecarcoidea natalis), whose mass migrations at spawning time may number over a hundred million individuals. The bright red carapaces and sheer density of crabs make their routes to the sea observable from the air. Nonetheless, the populations of red crabs are threatened by the arrival of the invasive yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes). The ant was accidentally introduced between 1915 and 1934,[6] and without any native ant species to compete against, rapidly formed 'supercolonies' of extremely high density.[7] Populations of the ant have been observed bringing down red crabs over a hundred times their combined biomass.[7] A. gracilipes is thought responsible for killing up to 30 million of the park's crabs.[5]
While the red crab is Christmas Island's most numerous crab, the island also hosts the world's largest population of coconut crab (Birgus latro),[8] the world's largest land invertebrate.[9] There may be as many as one million coconut crabs on Christmas Island.[10] It is also home to several species each of hermit crab, grapsids and gecarcinucoidea.[8]
Reptiles
There are six species of reptile native to the park, of which five are endemic:
A further five species of reptile have been reported, but all were introduced by human activity: the
Mammals
There are three species of mammal native to the park: the Christmas Island shrew (Crocidura trichura), listed as critically endangered, and possibly extinct; the small Christmas Island pipistrelle (Pipistrellus murrayi), listed as endangered and showing a rapid decrease in numbers; and the Christmas Island flying fox (Pteropus melanotus). The black rat (Rattus rattus) and house mouse (Mus musculus) have been introduced. Feral cats and dogs are also common, and stray into park territory.[2]
Birds
There are over 100 species of birds, of which ten are endemic. Many birds are passing
Flora
The dominant vegetation on the island is
Park management
The park is managed by the Director of National Parks whose duties include protection of the park's natural areas, its lifeforms and genetic resources, to maintain ecological diversity, and to manage visitor access for educational, cultural and recreational purposes. It latest management plan (2002) listed control of the yellow crazy ant as its highest priority.[2]
The park administration has a staff of 17, and operates out of an office in Drumsite on the northern side of the island.[citation needed]
See also
- Protected areas managed by the Australian government
References
- ^ a b "Christmas Island National Park". Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ ISBN 0-642-54828-9.
- ^ "National Park History". Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 8 March 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
- ^ a b c d e "Christmas Island National Park – Habitats". Parks and reserves. Parks Australia. Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
- ^ ISBN 978-92-64-03960-5.
- ^ O’Dowd, D.J. (1999). "Crazy Ant Attack". Wingspan. 9 (2): 7.
- ^ a b c "Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity following invasion by the Yellow Crazy Ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean".
- ^ a b "Christmas Island Land Crabs Brochure" (PDF). Environment Australia. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
- ISBN 978-0-19-854051-9.
- ^ "Christmas Island Natural Areas (listing CHL105187)". Australia Heritage Places Inventory. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ "Christmas Island Environment and Heritage". Australian Government, Attorney-General's Department. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.