You will need: Just good eyesight and perhaps a pair of binoculars (if you have them)

The Red Cabbage Palm is only known from Finke Gorge National Park. They aren't scattered all over the Park - they are only found in just a few little valleys like Palm Valley. These palms are listed as vulnerable because of their very small population. We are worried about their survival into the future.

The large palms are easy to spot but can you spot the smaller palms. Walk along the Arankaia Walk that brings you through the biggest populations of these palms in the World. Without leaving the walking track, can you spot any baby palms? How many can you spot?

Its very important that each year new baby palms emerge from the sandy floor of the valley. If young plants don't grow from seeds then this could mean the palms will die out completely sometime in the future.

The baby palms look rather different that adult plants. They send out wide, single leaves for the first part of their lives. It's not till they get a little older that they have the energy to build the typical fan-like fronds.

When the palms become teenagers they start to produce the fan-like fronds. They are coloured red during this stage - that's where the palm gets its name from!

Be careful not to step near the baby palms - they are our future. It really important not to leave the walking track. You may get lost or you may damage this fragile place. You can see from this photograph that sometimes visitors do step on these  precious plants by accident.

Hope you enjoy this challenge, all the best!  Ranger Michael