The danger is called a kangaroo

Australia's defense ministry is working to remove hundreds of kangaroos on the outskirts of Canberra, causing heated debates and big headlines internationally.

The symbolic animal of Australia has increased many times in recent years, now Canberra has three times the number of kangaroos. The situation became more serious in two closed military areas on the outskirts of the city, which became an ideal shelter for eastern gray kangaroos (Macropus giganteus).

Australia's pastures are being overgrazed, leaving serious consequences for other animals. These are the few natural grasslands in Australia and a place to conserve endangered animals, such as the golden sun butterfly (Synemon plana) and the grassland earless dragon (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla) - one in the world's rarest lizards. About 400 of the 600 kangaroos in the 200-hectare military area will be killed in the coming days with a fatal injection after the government rejects the resettlement program because the budget is too large. Resettlement is simply moving this issue to another place. For many years, researchers at the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig investigated the consequences of natural grassland differentiation and variability for the diversity of species in the region.

The eastern gray kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) has always been considered part of the city of Canberra (Australia) famous for its nickname 'capital with groves'. But even Leipzig scientists from the Helmholtz Environmental Research Center (UFZ) were surprised by the number of kangaroos here. In his doctoral dissertation, Anett Richter investigated the impact of the differentiation and transformation of the Australian capital's natural grassland habitat (ACT) on a number of invertebrates such as beetles. hard ground. However, in her field trips, she found that the number of affected species was much less than the predicted number.

The grassland earless dragon (Tympanocrytis pinguicolla) is one of the rarest lizards in the world (Photo: Tilo Arnhold / UFZ)

What she found were only dry, bare and cracked pastures due to the worst drought in Australia during the last century. In particular, she was surprised to see a large amount of kangaroo dung, especially in the closed area of ​​the army. 'The results of differentiation are still not available. But we think there is a link in individual locations between extremely crowded kangaroo density and the diversity of invertebrate species - especially during drought. '

But people also have a responsibility. The vast grasslands used to be an aboriginal district, they used this sensitive ecosystem logically through hunting and fire management. Wild predators like dingo control the number of kangaroos. When Australia was formed 200 years ago, the grassland first faded and then the development of cities like Canberra resulted in a complete change in the landscape structure.

Today, the urbanization and concentration of agriculture makes the majority of Australia a highly differentiated region, with the risk of losing its biodiversity. However, humans have significantly improved the supply of water to kangaroos by installing gutters and other water supply systems. Normally, weaker kangaroos become victims of drought in the dry season. Now they can survive thanks to artificial water troughs that help maintain the number of species, which can damage vegetation. Unlike other animals, kangaroos adapt well to human presence. In many parts of Australia, kangaroos are hunted for meat for export.

Canberra is a prime example of humanity's dramatic transformation of the fifth continent since Europeans settled here more than 200 years ago. Canberra was once a natural grassland that dominated most of the southeastern Australian terrain. 5% of the local grassland exists in the capital, and only 1% exists throughout the southeastern Australia to this day. This rapid loss caused natural grasslands to be listed as one of Australia's most threatened ecosystems. The remaining grasslands in Canberra are threatened by the pace of urban development, drought or excessive number of kangaroos. Just a few years ago, the capital inhabitants were very happy when they learned about the event of rediscovering an animal that is thought to be extinct.

The grass earless dragon (Tympanocrytis pinguicolla) is one of the rarest reptiles in the world. Only a few exist in the suburbs of Canberra. This small lizard, weighing only 5 grams, is very camouflaged. That's why for a long time they were considered extinct. Until 1991 when Will Osborne, a biology doctor at the University of Canberra's Applied Ecology Institute, stumbled upon a stone: 'Something that suddenly appeared below was one of the most suspenseful moments. in my life. So far I still don't know how I can lift my son down from my shoulders so quickly that I can follow this lizard and grab it. '

The earless dragon is thought to have disappeared within 30 years. Osborne said: 'It is difficult to have a plan to conserve an animal without many things known about them.' In recent years, his colleagues, along with researchers from the Helmholtz Environmental Research Center (UFZ) in Leipzig, have investigated this reptile's habit to gain a deeper understanding of the ecosystem. meadow.

Like fairytale dragons, this earless pasture dragon lives in a cave like a spider cave. It is a great shelter for them. They can even survive the fires. However, they are not very flexible and are at risk of becoming victims of topographic change. In genetic studies, Dr. Marion Höhn investigated whether these unarmed dragons interacted with each other: 'Otherwise, the risk of not giving birth will lead to extinction of small animals. this baby '.

However, the first thing is that they must survive in the coming years. They need adequate supplies of insects as food, depending on the diversity of grass species along with the corresponding biota structure. The postdoctoral research conducted by Christina Castellano with the support of Canberra National Airport aims to directly investigate the impact of kangaroos, livestock grazing on the existence of earless dragons. The act of eliminating the amount of kangaroos that are abundant gives researchers from both institutions the opportunity to study the impact of grazing on grassland populations.

In order to overcome difficulties from the closed military area as well as the large number of kangaroos, a number of research projects in Canberra are aiming for effective birth control methods for kangaroos. Recently, scientists have found management mechanisms, although it may be too late for some species that are dangerous and often overlooked. This is why there are currently no other solutions to reduce the number of kangaroos in addition to eliminating them to protect sensitive populations of plants and animals on the outskirts of Canberra, Australia.