Tanami Desert

The Tanamiwüste (English Tanami Desert ) is a desert in northern Australia, which mostly belongs to the Northern Territory. Only a small part extends into to Western Australia. Their size is approximately 184,500 km ².

Name

It was named Tanamiwüste by the British explorer and prospector Allan Davidson. The name Tanami was originally the name of the Aborigines for two caves in which water had collected and discovered the second expedition Davidson on November 9, 1900. This name, which means in the language of the aborigines never died, Davidson took over later for desert.

Discovery history

Davidson traveled on behalf of a British syndicate in November 1897 with the railway from Adelaide to Oodnadatta and continue on a horse to Alice Springs. There, he put together his first expedition, which was two years go. He should investigate an area in the Northern Territory of about 28,490 km ² size for mineral resources. On his return to Adelaide he was ordered by the Syndicate to report to London and charged with a second expedition. He was commissioned in the investigated area to discover gold deposits, which could be exploited economically. This expedition lasted about a year, but did not succeed Davidson to discover the required resources.

Climate

How to fall in all Australian Deserts in the Tanamiwüste sporadic rainfall that enable sparse vegetation. The desert is semiarid and is subject monsunalem influence. 75-80 % of the precipitation falls in the summer months, most of them in the north. To place the Tennant Creek fall annually 375 mm.

Geology

Red sands from the Quaternary overlying the W iso - basin in the west and the Georgina Basin in the eastern desert. The W iso - basin consists of deposition and volcanic rocks, while the Georgina Basin consists of sediments. In the West, Granites - Tanami Block is made ​​of granite, sedimentary and mafic volcanic rocks. This geological province is interrupted by sandy plains and low hills.

Landscape and Aboriginal

The area is too hot and too dry to a quarter of the area to farm. The agricultural areas are the property of the Aborigines. In the Tanamiwüste are the towns of Tennant Ceek and Wauchope, also some small settlements of Aboriginal people. The area is inhabited by Aborigines of Kukatja and Warlpiri, where the latter reside in the southern desert.

Flora and Fauna

1996 1073 plant species in the Tanami were detected in field research. Most areas of the desert are covered by Spinfex or hummock grasslands. On the sandy areas grow spinifex grasses and some low bushes on the river banks and trees.

In the same year 394 vertebrate species have been recorded, including 18 rare and endangered bird and mammal species. The Lake Surprise in the Northern Territory and the Lake Gregory in Western Australia form refuges for numerous waterfowl. In the Tanami various small to medium-sized mammals are present, including Black-tailed Quoll ( Dasyurus geoffroii ), Golden Bandicoot ( Isoodon auratus), brush -tailed kangaroo rats ( Bettongia penicillata ) and the Dickschwanzrattenart Zyzomys pedunculatus. Presumably there is also the Great bilby ( lagotis macrotis ), the brushtail possum ( Trichosurus vupecula ) and the black paws rock wallaby ( Petrogale lateralis). Probably extinct is the Night parrot ( Pezoporus occidentalis). The Alexandra Parakeet ( Polytelis alexandrae ) is extremely rare. In addition to rabbits and cats dromedaries harm the ecosystem. Termites colonize parts of the desert area.

Raw materials

Gold deposits, which are located in the geological Tanami region, were discovered in 1900. The Tanami and The Granites Mine exploit these resources.