Paruna Sanctuary

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paruna Sanctuary
Western Australia
Gould lithograph of a group of Noolbengers, or Honey Possums, perched in a tree
Noolbengers, or Honey Possums, live in the reserve
Paruna Sanctuary is located in Western Australia
Paruna Sanctuary
Paruna Sanctuary
Nearest town or cityMidland
Coordinates31°41′13″S 116°08′07″E / 31.6869°S 116.1353°E / -31.6869; 116.1353Coordinates: 31°41′13″S 116°08′07″E / 31.6869°S 116.1353°E / -31.6869; 116.1353
Established1998
Area20 km2 (7.7 sq mi)
Managing authoritiesAustralian Wildlife Conservancy
WebsiteParuna Sanctuary

Paruna Sanctuary is a 20-square-kilometre (7.7 sq mi) nature reserve in the Avon Valley, 50 kilometres (31 mi) north-east of Perth in south-west Western Australia. It is in the Avon-Wheatbelt Bioregion and is owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC).

History[]

Paruna Sanctuary consists of several properties consolidated to form a 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) corridor between the Walyunga and Avon Valley National Parks. Negotiations during the 1990s culminated in its formal opening in 1998. Since then areas previously cleared have been subject to a rehabilitation program, and walking tracks constructed for public use.[1]

Landscape and climate[]

Paruna is in the Darling Range, a landscape of hills along a rocky escarpment, with river valleys. The climate is Mediterranean with winter rainfall and dry summers. Average annual rainfall is 700 millimetres (28 in).[2]

Ecosystems[]

Most of the reserve is dominated by wandoo and powderbark woodlands, with extensive areas of heathland and some patches of jarrah and marri forest. Flooded gum and paperbark occur along the Avon River.[3]

Fauna[]

Significant mammal species present are chuditch and honey possum, while an important bird is Carnaby's black-cockatoo. In collaboration with CALM, and with an ongoing program to control exotic predators such as foxes, various native mammals that would have occurred on Paruna in the past are being successfully reintroduced. These include the woylie, quenda, black-flanked rock-wallaby and the tammar wallaby.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ Paruna: History
  2. ^ Paruna: Climate
  3. ^ Paruna: Ecosystems
  4. ^ Paruna: Wildlife

External links[]


Stub icon

This article about a location in Western Australia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Stub icon

This Australian protected areas-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Retrieved from ""