Conservation issues
In spite of the isolation from major population centres the Gulf
has its fair share of environmental pressure points that need to be
addressed.
Cattle grazing in many of the significant wetlands and forested
areas has the potential to cause large-scale habitat degradation.
Large, intensive wildfires are common during the dry season and
threaten populations such as the carpentarian rock-rat.
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Wilfires are a major threat to some
animals in the gulf
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A number of small mammal species (northern quoll, pale-field
rat) are extinct in the Gulf and only occur on the Edward Pellew
islands offshore. Keeping introduced pests like cats and cane toads
off these islands is a significant challenge. Weeds, particularly
rubbervine, have the potential to degrade riparian habitat and are
already well established in the Mitchell-Gilbert River fans.
Altering wetlands by creating ponded pastures is another major
threat to the biological integrity of the gulf wetlands.
