BESS PRICE MLA I Member for STUART SPOTLIGHT ON OUR NATIVE ANIMALS

30 September 2013
Gather your friends and family together, venture out under the stars and participate in one of the many Night Stalks being held around the Territory. Minister for Parks and Wildlife, Bess Price, said Territorians can explore nature at night and help gather important scientific data by taking part. Night Stalks are a national series of spotlight walks across the country to collect information about native and feral animal numbers, Mrs Price said. Its a fun and important conservation event and provides a great opportunity for Territorians to learn about their local wildlife. Last years participants spotted animals like the Black-footed Rock Wallaby and other species including frogs, reptiles, insects and nocturnal birds. Through this regular monitoring, the community can get an idea about which species live in various habitats, and hopefully this will encourage conservation awareness and efforts to help protect and preserve our important biodiversity. Everyone is welcome to join the community night stalks, with the first happening at Ormiston Gorge in Central Australia on Saturday, 5 October. Northern enthusiasts can join in at Howard Springs Nature Park on Thursday, 17 October.

Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory organise night stalks every year to contribute to the national data collection initiative and over time, the data collected will provide a meaningful scientific resource capable of contributing to future national biodiversity strategies.
In 2012, 80 surveys took place over six weeks, with more than 1,600 participants from a diverse range of groups surveying across six states and territories, 600 more than the previous year. The results of the Night Stalks are collated by Perth Zoo, and the information is available online at http://www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/act/night-stalk. People wishing to participate in the local night stalks are asked to register in advance as numbers are limited. For the Simpsons Gap Night Stalk, contact Susie Pendle on 8951 8247. For the Ormiston Gorge Night Stalk, contact Susie Pendle on 8951 8247. For the Howard Springs Night Stalk, contact the Darwin PWCNT office on 8999 4555. Participants should wear practical footwear and bring a good torch or spotlight if possible.

Media Contact: Lauren Crawley 0417 145 050