Aboriginal-constructed lizard traps on Western Australia’s south coast create reptile habitat and teach principles of granite outcrop conservation

Susie Cramp; Lynette Knapp; Harriet Paterson; Peter Speldewinde; Alison Lullfitz; Stephen D. Hopper

doi:10.1071/PC25004

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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Aboriginal-constructed lizard traps on Western Australia’s south coast create reptile habitat and teach principles of granite outcrop conservation

Susie Cramp

^A ^* , Lynette Knapp ^A ^B , Harriet Paterson ^A , Peter Speldewinde ^A , Alison Lullfitz ^A and Stephen D. Hopper

^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A University of Western Australia Albany Campus, 35 Stirling Terrace, Albany, WA 6330, Australia.

^B Merningar Elder, Albany, WA, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: susie.cramp@uwa.edu.au

Handling Editor: Mike Calver

Pacific Conservation Biology 31, PC25004 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC25004

Submitted: 16 January 2025 Accepted: 29 January 2025 Published: 24 February 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Granite outcrops of the Southwest Australian Floristic Region are places of cultural and ecological significance that are at risk from human disturbance. Lizard traps are propped-up rock slabs on granite outcrops, constructed by Aboriginal peoples to create habitat for and to catch reptiles. Despite the cultural importance of traps, public awareness remains low, and they are at risk from destruction and removal. Lizard traps are likely ecologically important, but data supporting this have yet to be published.

Aims

We aimed to; (1) clarify the ecological role of lizard traps on Western Australia’s south coast; (2) address the hypothesis that lizard traps provide reptile habitat; and (3) explore what lizard traps teach us about conservation of granites.

Methods

Directed by Merningar Elder Lynette Knapp, and focused around Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, we used time-lapse cameras to undertake a cross-cultural investigation into the ecological role of lizard traps.

Key results

We found at least seven reptile groups use lizard traps on Western Australia’s south coast for activities including thermoregulation and shelter. Reptile presence was observed at 60% of lizard traps over 1 day. We found no difference between natural exfoliation (known reptile habitat) and lizard traps in reptile occurrence, diversity, duration of presence, and thermal complexity. Elder Lynette Knapp shares that lizard traps were created for human survival, and they teach us that caring for granite Country involves minimising disturbance, deep knowledge of the landscape, and multi-generational thinking.

Conclusions

First Nations-constructed lizard traps create reptile habitat as a key principle of caring for granite Country.

Implications

Lizard traps are culturally and ecologically important features of granite outcrops that need greater recognition and protection.

Keywords: Australian Aboriginal Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), caring for country, conservation, granite outcrops, human niche construction, lizard traps, Merningar/Menang, reptiles, Southwest Australian Floristic Region.

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