Yookamurra Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Yookamurra Sanctuary is a 50 km2 nature reserve
in the Murraylands
region of South Australia
, between the eastern slopes of the Mount Lofty Ranges
and the Murray River
, 24 km north-east of the town of Sedan
. It is owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy
(AWC).
from the late 1980s to 1998, before being purchased by AWC in 2002.
zone of South Australia and the climate is one of cool winters and hot summers. The average annual rainfall, mainly falling in winter, is 270 mm.
woodland
s and shrubland
s.
, Numbat
, Greater Bilby
, Boodie
and Woylie
.
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...
in the Murraylands
Murraylands
The Murraylands is a geographical region in South Australia; based around the lower part of the Murray River in South-Eastern South Australia.The area stretches from Blanchetown; roughly 130 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, right down to Wellington, which is situated at the beginning of Lake...
region of 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...
, between the eastern slopes of the Mount Lofty Ranges
Mount Lofty Ranges
The Mount Lofty Ranges are the range of mountains just to the east of Adelaide in South Australia.-Location and description:The Mount Lofty Ranges stretch from the southernmost point of the Fleurieu Peninsula at Cape Jervis northwards for over before petering out north of Peterborough...
and the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
, 24 km north-east of the town of Sedan
Sedan, South Australia
Sedan is a rural town in South Australia. It is located about 100 kilometres east of Adelaide and about 20 kilometres west of the Murray River...
. It is owned and managed 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...
(AWC).
History
Yookamurra is a consolidation of several properties acquired by Earth Sanctuaries for wildlife conservationWildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
from the late 1980s to 1998, before being purchased by AWC in 2002.
Landscape and climate
The reserve consists of gently undulating country with shallow soils overlying calcrete, at an altitude of 80-90 m. It lies at the southern end of the semi-aridSemi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
zone of South Australia and the climate is one of cool winters and hot summers. The average annual rainfall, mainly falling in winter, is 270 mm.
Ecosystems
Most of Yookamurra’s habitats are variations of malleeMallee (habit)
Mallee is the growth habit of certain eucalypt species that grow with multiple stems springing from an underground lignotuber, usually to a height of no more than ten metres...
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 and shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
s.
Fauna
Threatened fauna species include MalleefowlMalleefowl
The Malleefowl is a stocky ground-dwelling Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken...
, Numbat
Numbat
The numbat , also known as the banded anteater, or walpurti, is a marsupial found in Western Australia. Its diet consists almost exclusively of termites. Once widespread across southern Australia, the range is now restricted to several small colonies and it is listed as an endangered species...
, Greater Bilby
Greater Bilby
The Bilby, Macrotis lagotis, is an Australian species of nocturnal omnivorous animal in the Peramelemorphia order. The common name Bilby usually refers to this species, but is distinguished from Macrotis leucura that became extinct in the 1950s by the name Greater Bilby. It is also referred to as...
, Boodie
Boodie
The Boodie , also known as the Burrowing Bettong, is a small marsupial. It is a fascinating example of the effects of introduced animals on Australian fauna and ecosystems. Once the most common macropodiform mammal on the whole continent, the Boodie now only lives on off-lying islands and in a...
and Woylie
Woylie
The Woylie , also known as the Brush-tailed Bettong, is a small marsupial that belongs to the genus Bettongia. It is endemic to Australia...
.