Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia.

The cultural and natural values of Kakadu National Park were recognised internationally when the Park was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is an international register of properties that are recognised as having outstanding cultural or natural values of international significance.

Climate. Kakadu is located in the tropics, no far from the Equator. The climate is characterised by two main seasons: the dry season and the rain season. During the dry season (from April/May to September), dry winds predominate. During the period of October to December conditions can be extremely uncomfortable with high temperatures and high humidity.

Flora. Kakadu's flora is among the richest in northern Australia with more than 1700 plant species. Kakadu is also considered to be one of the most weed free national parks in the world.

Fauna. The diverse environments of Kakadu National Park support animals, a number of which have adapted to particular habitats. Some animals in the Park are rare, or endemic. Due to the extreme weather conditions in the Park, many animals are active only at particular times of the day or night or at particular times of the year.

(1092)

Yellowstone, the First National Park of the USA

Yellowstone is the United States’ first and most famous national park. This large wilderness area is very high in the Rocky Mountains of the northwestern U.S.

Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872.

Yellowstone has many different kinds of unusual scenery. The valley of the Yellowstone River has beautifully coloured rocks and three large waterfalls. The high mountains around Yellowstone are covered with evergreen forests. Great grizzly bears live there. The bears sometimes come down into the camps to look for food. Other wild animals move around freely in the park.

Yellowstone Park has many areas with hot springs and geysers or hot water fountains. These are caused by heat from the hot centre of the earth. Old Faithful geyser is the most famous. Every seventy minutes, Old Faithful sends hot water about 50 metres high into the air. Here, hot spring water runs down over rocks into deep pools. It looks like a fantastic white cake.

In winter, Yellowstone Park is covered with heavy snow, but visitors still come to ski and skate. With clouds of steam above them and snow all around, Yellowstone’s hot springs look even more wonderful.

(1014)