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With a just-released assessment revealing a decline in wildlife numbers in Kakadu National Park, Australia Conservation Foundation spokesperson Dave Sweeney believes that the revelation should be viewed as a rallying call for action.

Speaking to the ABC, Sweeney stated “it's a real canary in the coal mine for Australia that something is not right at Kakadu with the management and the status of that place, and it's a real urgent call for things to improve and for significant steps to be taken to improve the management and the values of that important place.”

While acknowledging that no one person or group was to blame for the rise of Kakadu's conservation problems, Sweeney spike of the challenges that the Northern Territory environment faces, adding “some of these are weeds and feral (animals) and invasive species, some of these are climate change, not necessarily the fault of any individual person.

"Management is needed, there needs to be additional conservation measure taken to protect the values of Kakadu."

Sweeney used the report to criticise the Ranger uranium mine, which operates on a piece of land that is not included in Kakadu National Park but is completely surrounded by it.

He concluded “we're saying this is the time now to take stock and take care and certainly not the time to fast track a green light to an under performing uranium mine like the Ranger mine

"It's certainly not the time to give a tick to more threats to Kakadu, it's a time (for) more work to protect that really beautiful and special place."

15th November 2014 - WORLD PARKS CONGRESS LEARNS OF DECLINE IN KAKADU NATIONAL PARK WILDLIFE NUMBERS

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