Kalamurina Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Kalamurina Sanctuary is a 6,700 km2 pastoral lease
in arid
north-eastern South Australia
. For many decades in the 20th century it operated as a cattle station
. It was acquired in December 2007 by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy
to become a nature reserve
for biodiversity
conservation
and wildlife management
. A high priority management need is a feral animal control program.
Lying between the Simpson Desert Regional Reserve
and the Lake Eyre National Park
, the establishment of Kalamurina as a nature reserve creates a continuous protected area in central Australia larger than the State of Tasmania
.
and contains a large proportion of the Lake Eyre catchment. Its habitats include dune
fields, gibber plains, desert
woodland
s, freshwater and saline lake
s, and riparian habitats along the Warburton and Macumba
River
s and Kallakoopah Creek
.
, Kultarr
, Lake Eyre Dragon
and Eyrean Grasswren
.
Pastoral lease
A pastoral lease is Crown land that government allows to be leased, generally for the purposes of farming.-Australia:Pastoral leases exist in both Australian commonwealth law and state jurisdictions....
in arid
Arid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
north-eastern South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. For many decades in the 20th century it operated as a cattle station
Cattle station
Cattle station is an Australian term for a large farm , whose main activity is the rearing of cattle. In Australia, the owner of a cattle station is called a grazier...
. It was acquired in December 2007 by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy is an Australian independent, non-profit organisation, working to conserve threatened wildlife and ecosystems in Australia, principally through the acquisition of extensive areas of land on which to establish conservation reserves . These sanctuaries are...
to become a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
for biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
conservation
Conservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
and wildlife management
Wildlife management
Wildlife management attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best available science. Wildlife management can include game keeping, wildlife conservation and pest control...
. A high priority management need is a feral animal control program.
Lying between the Simpson Desert Regional Reserve
Simpson Desert Regional Reserve
-See also:*Simpson Desert*Simpson Desert Conservation Park*Simpson Desert Important Bird Area*Simpson Desert National Park-External links:* - Department for Environment and Heritage...
and the Lake Eyre National Park
Lake Eyre National Park
Lake Eyre National Park is located in South Australia , 697 km north of Adelaide. It contains both the North and South sections of Lake Eyre as well as sections of the Tirari Desert....
, the establishment of Kalamurina as a nature reserve creates a continuous protected area in central Australia larger than the State of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Landscape
Kalamurina borders on the north coast of Lake Eyre NorthLake Eyre
Lake Eyre is the lowest point in Australia, at approximately below sea level, and, on the rare occasions that it fills, it is the largest lake in Australia and 18th largest in the world...
and contains a large proportion of the Lake Eyre catchment. Its habitats include dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
fields, gibber plains, desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s, freshwater and saline lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, and riparian habitats along the Warburton and Macumba
Macumba
Macumba is a word of African origins. Various explanations of its meaning include "a musical instrument", the name of a Central African deity, and simply "magic". It was the name used for all Bantu religious practices mainly in Bahia Afro-Brazilian in the 19th Century...
River
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s and Kallakoopah Creek
Kallakoopah Creek
Kallakoopah Creek is a river running through the southern part of the Simpson Desert in Australia. It is an anabranch of Cooper Creek.-References:...
.
Wildlife
Threatened wildlife species on Kalamurina include the Crest-tailed MulgaraCrest-tailed Mulgara
The Crest-tailed Mulgara also called the Ampurta is a species of carnivorous marsupial from Australia. Also called the Crest-tailed Marsupial Mouse, this animal slightly resembles a placental rat....
, Kultarr
Kultarr
The Kultarr , also known as the Jerboa-marsupial, the Jerboa Pouched-mouse, the Wuhl-wuhl or the Pitchi-pitchi, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order. It is the only species in the Antechinomys genus...
, Lake Eyre Dragon
Ctenophorus
Ctenophorus, also known as comb-bearing dragons, is a genus that contains the most diverse group of dragons in Australia. Many of these have been grouped by a similar morphology...
and Eyrean Grasswren
Eyrean Grasswren
The Eyrean Grasswren is a species of bird in the Maluridae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 25 July 2007....
.