Yookamurra Sanctuary
Protected area in South Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yookamurra Sanctuary is a 50 km2 private protected area 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).
| Yookamurra Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)[1] | |
  Yookamurra Sanctuary | |
| Location | South Australia |
| Coordinates | 34°30′33″S 139°26′00″E[1] |
| Area | 50.55 km2 (19.52 sq mi)[1] |
| Governing body | Australian Wildlife Conservancy |
| Website | Official website |
History
Yookamurra is a consolidation of several properties acquired by Earth Sanctuaries for wildlife conservation from the late 1980s to 1998, before being purchased by AWC in 2002.[2]
Landscape and climate
The reserve consists of gently undulating country with shallow soils overlying calcrete, at an altitude of 80-90 m.[3] It lies at the southern end of the semi-arid 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.[4]
Ecosystems
Most of Yookamurra's habitats are variations of mallee woodlands and shrublands.[5]
Fauna
Threatened fauna species include malleefowl, emu, southern hairy-nosed wombat, western grey kangaroo, red kangaroo, numbat, greater bilby, boodie, woylie and short-beaked echidna.[6] An attempted reintroduction of the greater stick-nest rat failed.[7]
