Parks and reserves

Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park

Habitats

Anangu know where to find particular foods. They understand the relationships between the land, plants and animals. Anangu recognise habitats in their own way.


Puli (rocky areas, gorges, stony slopes)

Mulga leaves

Walpa Gorge

Only plants that can live in shallow, barren soils are found here. Anangu burn around puli to protect it from wildfires. Many animals come to drink or shelter in puli, but return to other habitats to graze and breed.

Flora and fauna found in puli:

Mulga leaves

Ephemeral rain pools from water run-off at Uluru provide ideal breeding sites for Uluru's frog fauna

Karu (creek-lines and run off plains)

Anangu usually find good supplies of water here. Although creeks are normally dry, waterholes can remain for months. Anangu dig for water along the creek beds and collect grass seeds, firewood, and timber for carving tools.

Flora found in karu:

Puti (open woodland)

Mulga leaves

Puti
Open woodland

Where the ground is hard and sometimes stony, kapi tjintjira (freshwater claypans) form after good rain and animals come to drink. Puti wanari is flat country and the ground storey can be spinifex or other grasses hiding many animal burrows. When the burrows flood during rain, the animals head for higher ground.

Flora and fauna found in puti:

Pila (spinifex plains, low areas between dunes)

Mulga leaves

Pila
Spinifex plains

Pila is the most common habitat in the Park. There are many trees and shrubs that provide seeds for animals and Anangu. When kjanpi (spinifex) is old with a ring in the middle Anangu burn it to allow new growth.

Flora and fauna found in pila:

Tali (sand dunes)

Mulga leaves

Tali
Sand dunes

This habitat is very fragile. Spinifex and green shrubs grow here. In the mornings you can see networks of tracks on the sand. Many animals of the tali protect themselves by burrowing into the sand and emerge after rain. Generally, the small mammals that live in pila are also found in tali.

Flora and fauna found in tali:


Nyaru (burnt or regenerating areas)

Pila and tali become nyaru after they are burned, with similar animals in both habitats. Animals flock to the nyaru after a fire because many types of food plants, such as seed grasses and succulents regenerate here.

Flora and fauna found in nyarau:

Back to top

Quick links

See also

Key

   Links to another web site
   Opens a pop-up window