Near Lake Kununurra, Western Australia Photograph by Mike Fields   Northwestern Australia Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands   134,300 square miles (347,900 square kilometers) -- about the size of South Dakota and Michigan Vulnerable

· Plateaus and Plains
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Plateaus and Plains

If you were to hike across these tropical savannas, heading inland from the Timor Sea, you would eventually make your way through the rugged gorges and ridges of the north, into the flatter cattle country in the south. Depending on the season of your trek, you might experience the extreme dryness and heat of summer or the torrential rains of winter.

Special Features

High-grass savanna is the most widespread vegetation type in this ecoregion, with scattered trees and shrubs growing over a carpet of grass beneath. Spinifex and sorghum grasses, both hardy, drought-resistant species, can be found here. Trees include several species of eucalyptus, the kakadu plum tree, and baobabs. Baobabs are large trees with thick trunks and gnarled, root-like branches. Up to 11 species of mangrove trees have been recorded in this ecoregion, all of them commonly found in Southeast Asia. Large, mostly temporary rivers are common: The region receives torrential rains that cause flash floods in the wet season, but the runoff dries up quickly.

	Unlike freshwater crocodiles, which are not considered dangerous to humans, saltwater crocodiles have been known to kill people. The saltwater crocodile is the largest crocodile species, and may reach up to 22 feet (7 m) in length. In the past, crocodiles have been heavily hunted for their valuable skin, but they are now fully protected by law and their numbers are increasing.

Wild Side

Rich vegetation lines the riverbanks here, drawing a range of birds including channel-billed cuckoos, common koels, and purple-crowned fairy wrens. Other birds found on the savanna grasslands include nankeen night herons, red-necked avocets, chestnut-backed buttonquails, rainbow bee-eaters, and yellow chats. Nailtail wallabies, black-footed rock wallabies, and bilbies are just a few of this ecoregion’s marsupials. Both freshwater crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles can be found in this ecoregion as well. Other reptiles found here include chameleon dragons, frilled lizards, and goannas or monitor lizards. One lizard, the Kimberly rock monitor, is found only in this area, and may grow to more than 30 inches (80 cm) in length.

Cause for Concern

The area’s open-range grazing system has led to cattle overgrazing the most productive and attractive pastures in the south. Still, the northern half of this ecoregion, North Kimberly, remains remote and uninhabited. However, some feral cattle are beginning to invade the area and damage vegetation.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.