Latest news with #JamesElton
ABC News
05-05-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Biologists search for new species in west Arnhem Land
At the top pools of Edith Falls, Jodi Rowley scans the rocks with her head torch as she searches for glowing eyes. "It could be a gecko, but I think it's a frog," she says. On closer inspection, a Spalding's rocket frog comes into focus. "They have enormous thighs and jet propulsion," Dr Rowley says. She also notes their unusual call, which sounds like a "cross between a lawnmower and a chicken". Jodi Rowley is one of the nation's leading frog experts. ( ABC Katherine: James Elton ) Dr Rowley is among a team of about 25 of the country's top biologists that has travelled to Jawoyn country, near Katherine in the Northern Territory, to catalogue the region's unique species. "We still don't know how many frogs or reptiles we have," she says. "Estimates are that maybe 20 per cent of Australia's frogs and reptiles still don't have a scientific name. "In the last month there was four new species of frog described in Australia. "We're hoping on this trip we're filling in some of those gaps, getting a better handle on things and maybe — hopefully — discovering species new to science." A Spalding's rocket frog spotted at Edith Falls, also known as Leliyn. ( ABC Katherine: James Elton ) Zombie ants The scientists worked with Jawoyn rangers and a crew of helicopter pilots to access rugged parts of the Arnhem plateau that are rarely seen, even by traditional owners. Kirsti Abbott, the head of science at the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, says the remoteness of the area makes it challenging to access but increases the chances of finding new species. "There's these beautiful microhabitats and deep chasms in the stone country, all of which could potentially harbour species evolved just for that tiny microhabitat," she says. "For biologists to fly over country like that, you're seeing tiny pockets where there could be new species in at every turn." The visiting scientists were keen to show their finds to locals in Katherine, including school students. ( ABC Katherine: James Elton ) Samples are being analysed as the scientist pick through their finds and cross-reference them with existing records, but there are already promising signs. West Australian expert Nikolai Tatarnic found some resin-producing bugs and feather-legged bugs that may be new to Western science. The savanna country is also known for its diversity of ants, more than 8,000 species of which are suspected to live in the area. François Brassard found savanna ants consumed by a potentially new species of fungus. ( Supplied: François Brassard ) François Brassard found clusters of one known species of native ant that had been turned into a host by a potentially new species of parasitic fungus. Dr Abbott says the fungus infects the ants and compels them to climb up tall grass before blooming and spreading its spores. "We don't know how the ecology of this symbiosis actually works," she says. "So while we found the dead ants with fungus on them, there is a lot more to uncover." Baseline butterflies The scientists are also interested in the range extension of other species that are known but being found in new territory. Jared Archibald, a specialist in damselflies, dragonflies and butterflies from the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, says filling in the known habitats of a species and how they connect to the ecosystem is important. "It's finding out more about the species and where they live and what they do," he says. Mapping the areas where species occur helps to track environmental change over time. Invertebrates have the most undescribed species among living creatures. ( ABC Katherine: Christine Schindler ) "It becomes a baseline for that point in time," Mr Archibald says. "So in 10 years' time … or in 20 or 30 years if a whole group of butterflies aren't there, something's happening." The field trip is part of the national Bush Blitz program, which is trying to piece together the puzzle of Australia's biodiversity. Mr Archibald says having extra help from scientists outside the NT is crucial. "It's gaining this extra knowledge about the NT that we just can't go out and do," he says. " We need these specialists that are often based down south to come and let us know what's here. " Glenn Moore (left) from the WA Museum and Michael Hammer from the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT on the Katherine River. ( ABC Katherine: Christine Schindler ) FrogID success Dr Rowley is also the mastermind behind the FrogID project, which allows members of the public to upload recordings of frog calls that are then classified by professionals. Last year, the project received its one millionth recording. "It's helped us understand how frogs are responding to things like climate change, bush fires, habitat modification — it's absolutely amazing," Dr Rowley says. " I couldn't do this kind of work if there was 10,000 of me in hundreds of years, but it really shows that people can make a difference. " Dr Rowley says new species of Australian frogs are still being found. ( ABC Katherine: James Elton ) Some of the most valuable recordings have come from people living or working in remote parts of the Top End, but Dr Rowley stresses that new frog discoveries are also happening in populated areas. "We actually need everybody out there making these discoveries, in their backyard, when they go camping," she says. Dr Rowley says the task of mapping species has never been more urgent. "The world is changing," she says. "We need to prioritise conservation efforts and the first step towards that is figuring out what species we have – and where – and then how they're doing."
ABC News
26-04-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Warning signs taken from Katherine hot springs despite crocodile sighting
A local council in the Top End is pleading with swimmers to stop removing warning signs from Katherine hot springs after a reported saltwater crocodile sighting this week. Three "terrified" swimmers were found by a council worker during a routine check of the springs on Wednesday. "They had just encountered what they thought was a croc tail sweep past them," Katherine Town Council chief executive Ingrid Stonehill said. " Our staff then just went around the rest of the people swimming in the closed hot pools to ask them to perhaps pop out of the water. " Police were called to help evacuate swimmers, but told the ABC no further action was needed when they arrived. Katherine Town Council is concerned tourists will enter the hot springs unaware of the crocodile risk. ( ABC News: James Elton ) The council wrote in a Facebook post that the animal may have been a saltwater crocodile, which is more dangerous than a freshwater croc. Ms Stonehill said that identification was based on advice from Parks and Wildlife officials. Warning signs taken The hot springs, fed from an underground aquifer, are popular with locals and tourists. They close for the wet season, when the springs connect with the Katherine River — allowing crocodiles to swim upstream. Late rains this year have kept the springs closed longer, with murky water making it difficult for the council to complete its crocodile checks. But many swimmers continue to jump the chain fence into the pools, even after the council added "croc reported" to the existing warning signs on Wednesday afternoon. This crocodile safety sign, seen two days after the reported crocodile sighting, was ripped from its place and discarded on a nearby footpath. ( ABC News: James Elton ) "We can't barricade it off, but we're very clearly signing that this is closed," Ms Stonehill said. The council's bigger frustration is people removing the warning signs altogether, meaning some swimmers are entering the springs unaware of the risk. Ms Stonehill said the council had been forced to print a big supply of signs to keep up. "If you're going to ignore the sign yourself, that's fine, but don't remove the sign that then will warn other people who might actually need to know because they're not from Katherine and they don't know what to expect," she said. The council says it is constantly replacing warning signs that are removed by swimmers. ( ABC News: James Elton ) Caravans are starting to arrive in the small Top End town, which has hundreds of thousands of tourists passing through each dry season, mostly on their way to the surrounding national parks. Two sightings in one day The hot springs incident came on the same day that a crocodile was spotted and photographed by local fisherman Sam Klitogiannis at a nearby section of the Katherine River, known as the Low Level, where people were also swimming. "I was just going for a look, just to have a fish maybe, and I saw a croc resting in the sun on the other side of the bank, which was a surprise to me," he said. This crocodile was spotted not far from the hot springs, by fisherman Sam Klitogiannis. ( Supplied: Sam Klitogiannis ) Mr Klitogiannis said he was confident the reptile was a saltwater crocodile. "I've seen a freshie down there before, but not a saltie — and it was a decent size," he said. "And then while I was standing watching the croc do its thing, it just slid back into the water." Mr Klitogiannis said he couldn't fathom swimmers taking the risk at the nearby hot springs. "I live here and I would not be going into the water. It's just crazy for you to be going in there at all," he said. "I'm a fisherman and I see what they can do. They can be hiding under your boat for an hour and a half before they come up." Now that the river has dropped again, the council is hoping to open the hot springs soon. The springs are closed for months during the wet season, when they connect to the Katherine River. ( ABC News: Christine Schindler ) Its policy is to complete five surveys where no crocs are seen before formally opening the site, including night-time checks with torches to pick up reflections from eyes. "We want to get it open as quickly as possible, but we've got an obligation," Ms Stonehill said.
