Original paper
World Heritage values and conservation status of the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)
Reed, Elizabeth
Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, Supplementary Issues Volume 62 Supplementary Issue 3 (2021), p. 213 - 233
published: Mar 12, 2021
DOI: 10.1127/zfg_suppl/2021/0703
ArtNo. ESP023106203012, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
The Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh/Naracoorte) World Heritage property preserves a unique window into the evolution of Australia’s mammalian faunas. Listed as a serial nomination in 1994, its extensive fossil deposits span much of the past 25 million years. Riversleigh in northwest Queensland records the early evolutionary history of most modern marsupial groups and is extraordinary for the diversity of species represented. Naracoorte Caves in the southeast of South Australia preserves a continuous record of biodiversity and environment over at least the past 530,000 years, including a record of megafauna extinction. The conservation status of the property is regarded as good and the overall trend is stable. Management is considered mostly effective for ongoing conservation of the values. Current threats to World Heritage values include illegal access, fire and fire suppression, agricultural effluents, tourism, excavation and lack of funding. Impacts from these threats are moderated by planning and management of site access, tourism and research activities. Overall, the impact from current threats is considered very low. Potential threats for the property include tourism, illegal access and climate change. This paper provides an overview of the World Heritage listing and values, geographical, cultural and historical setting of the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites. The current and potential threats to the conservation status of the property are reviewed and discussed.
Keywords
Riversleigh • Naracoorte • mammal • karst • World Heritage • Australia