Kakadu birds, plants and animals

research, drafting and formatting by Computer Group 3 students

August 2013(some photos by Jill K)

Hang: water buffaloBefore 1825 to 1843 about 80 buffalo were brought to Northern Territory for meat.In the mid 1900s, the buffalo colonised the permanent swamps and freshwater springs of the top end of the Northern Territory.Australia has two types of buffalo, the river type from Western Asia, with curled horns and the swamp type from Eastern Asia, with swept-back horns.

This buffalo in the picture is a young swamp type one.

Jason: Australasian

DARTER

• .

Australasian Darter called the snakebird. It is a large, slim water bird with a long snake-like neck, sharp pointed bill, and long, rounded tail. Darter is found from Adelaide, South Australia, to Tennant Creek, Northern Territory and then to Broome, Western Australia.The Darter is lives in wetlands and sheltered coastal waters, mainly in the Tropics and Subtropics. It prefers smooth, open waters, for feeding, with tree trunks, branches, stumps or posts fringing the water, for resting and drying its wings. They feed in calm seas near shore, fishing. Darter isn’t affected by salty water, but does require waters with sparse vegetation that allow it to swim and dive easily. They builds nests in trees standing in water, and move to deeper waters if the waters begin to dry up.

Khuyen: lotus FlowerThe lotus flower leaves float on the water surface. The leaves are above the rising water until the floods, when they become completely submerged and die back. After that lotus flower then survive on flood reserves stored in the root underground. As the flood water go down in the dry season new leaves shoot up.

Sue: Rainbow bee eater• Rainbow bee eater is very

colourful small birds, there are many can found in open forests or woodland usually near water,. They eat insects ,also has ability to catch flying insects too.

• They have long tail feathers and a golden crown. They Look very clever smart little birds, I like them very much.

Letay: Australasian Darter

Darter is sometimes called the snake bird. It Usually inhabits freshwater Wetlands. They swim under the water surface. They look for food by diving to depths of about 60 centimetres and impaling the fish with its sharp spear like beak. Small fish are swallowed under water but larger ones are brought to the surface where they eat it .