The 2019–20 megafires across south-eastern Australia affected 40% of the habitat for the threatened golden-tipped bat (Phoniscus papuensis). We blended Indigenous cultural practices and western science to create woven roosts for the golden-tipped bat, which were successfully utilised in the second year of the project. Our experience provides a framework for collaborative conservation responses for golden-tipped bats and has broader implications for the recovery of other threatened species. A short video about the project is available here and footage of golden-tipped bats leaving woven roosts is available here. Photograph: Anna Lloyd/DCCEEW.

This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Karajarri and Ngurrara Rangers collaborated with scientists to investigate how fire management in the Great Sandy Desert could help mammals and reptiles. We found that some species prefer particular spinifex post-fire ages, from recently burnt to long-unburnt, and that patchworks of spinifex ages benefit mammals. This means that we should aim to reduce fire size and increase the area of mature/long-unburnt spinifex. Our work provides ecological information from a little-studied region of Australia, and highlights the role of Indigenous land managers in biodiversity conservation. Photographs by Anne Jones.

Translated summary: the two ranger groups have decided not to translate the summary into their languages. Although there are many language speakers from Ngurrara, the most fluent Karajarri speaker passed away last year, and translating complex sentences is now challenging. Out of mutual respect for their collaboration, the rangers prefer not to include a summary that is only in a Ngurrara language. However, we use words from both languages in the text. A short video about our project can be seen here.

This article belongs to the collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Here, we integrate western and Indigenous knowledge to improve our understanding of white-throated grasswren (WTGW) distribution and habitat requirements through habitat-suitability modelling and on-ground surveys. We detected WTGWs at 6 of 39 sites. Indigenous-led fieldwork helped connect people with Country, supported knowledge exchange and active discussions around fire management to protect the species. [Photograph by Warddeken Land Management Limited.]

Bininj kunwok: Ngarridjare ngarrinan kore baleh nawu mayhmayh, kangeyyo yilingkirrkkirr, kabirrini dja kabirriyo, mak kore baleh kabirriredmarnbun. Ngad Bininj dja Balanda wanjh karrirawon kunmayali ba bu karriwernhburrbun kore baleh kunred nawu yilingkirrkkirr mayhmayh kabirridi dja kabirriyo.

Ngad rangers ngarridjare ngarriborlbme ba ngarriwernhburrbun bu ngarrinahnan nahni mayhmayh yilingkirrkkirr ba kabirridarrkiddi munguyh. Ngarri-awani nawu yilingkirrkkirr mayhmayh. Wanjh ngarringalkeng kore six kunred kabirrihdi.

Wanjh bolkkime ngarriburrbun nawu yilingkirrkkirr mayhmayh kabirrihdi kore minj karralkrung munguyh. Bu mahni ngarridurrkmirri, wanjh kamak ba bu ngarridurndeng kore kunred ngadberre, karringurlkmarren kunred dja mayhmayh mak mayh. Dja mak Balanda dja ngad nawu Bininj karrimarneborlbmerren kore karridjarrkdurrkmirri. Dja wanjh karriwokdi karrikarremarnbun bu baleh karriyimuwon bu kunak karriwurlhke, ba bu minj mayh karribun dja kabirridjaldarrkiddi munguyh

The summary spoken in Bininj kunwok is available here.

This article belongs to the collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Our old people taught us how to recognise tracks and scats of different animals. Looking for tracks and scats is a good way to be on Country and pass knowledge from older to younger people. If we search for animal signs regularly, we can collect information on which animals are present, and whether their numbers are going up or down. In this project, we come together to talk about our animals and the bigger picture of what is happening in the desert.

Pitjantjatjara: Nganaṉanya nintiringi Aṉangu puḻka tjuṯangku tjina munu kuna tjuṯa ngurkantankunytjaku. Animal kutjupa tjuṯaku. Ngurintjaku tjina tjuṯa munu kuna tjuṯa panya ngurangka munu ma-nintitjaku Aṉangu puḻka tjuṯangka tjitji tjuṯakutu. Panya nganaṉa ngurkantanyi nyanga palunya tjananya munula mantjlpai animals nyaa: tjuṯa nyinanyi kuwari tjinguruya tjuṯaringanyi manta mankuraringu. Ka project nyangangka nganaṉa ma-ungkupai tjukurpa Tjuta. Kutjupa tjuṯa picture puḻka nyakuntjikitjangku. Nyaanganyi animal tjuṯa nganampa ngurangka. [Translated by Jeanie Robin.]

Pintupi Luritja: Ngunampa kapali tjumuku ngunanya nintinu tjina kuna mituntjaku kukaku. Nangunyi tjinaku kunaku ngunampa ngurra palyalinku tinatjutanya nintitjaku wimatjutanya. Nganana nungunyi kukuku tjunguru tjuna uparing/tjunguru tjuna tjutaring. Nanana tjungurinkula wankanyi ngunampa kukatjara tjuna yaltjirinyi tjutangka. [Translated by Ebony West. ]

Photograph by Nico Rakotopare. A short video about our project can be seen here (or access the video from the Supplementary material).

This article belongs to the collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Warning:This article may contain images, names of or references to deceased Aboriginal people.

The Nyangumarta people consider the wartaji (dingo) to be culturally significant and essential for maintaining a healthy Country. Nyangumarta Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) rangers and university-based researchers collaborated in a project designed to address the community’s desire to learn more about the wartaji and to build the capacities of the rangers for ongoing wartaji monitoring and management. The wartaji project highlighted the importance of First Nation groups developing and addressing their research priorities. It also underscores the ability of IPA-managed lands to facilitate these conservation-related decisions and actions. Photograph by Jessica Bolton.

This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Government, and conservation non-government organisations (NGOs) must incorporate Indigenous Knowledges and priorities into conservation and land management programs to be consistent with self-determination. Our perspective piece outlines caring for Country by acknowledging and protecting Culturally Significant Entities, using case-studies of two whale species. We weave the cultural significance and conservation context of southern right and humpback whales to highlight the inability of contemporary conservation approaches to effectively protect the tangible and intangible elements of Cultural Heritage and knowledge associated with a species. Painting of Gurawal’s Songline by Back to Country.

This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Cats and foxes are a significant threat to bilbies, with their impacts likely to be worsened by fire. We used camera-traps and genetic sampling to investigate whether bilby–predator interactions changed in response to planned fire. We found a high level of overlap in activity among the three species, and a general decline in bilby and cat activity, and an increase in fox activity following fire. Our study indicated that broad-scale fire is likely to have negative consequences for bilby populations, most likely owing to an increase in fox predation pressure. Photograph supplied by H.M. Geyle.

Warlpiri: Minija manu pujumalu kalu-jana ngarni walpajirri kuja ka warlu-jangkalku karrimi (ngunjalparla/winingka). Ngulajangka yartiwajirli ka palka-mani kuna-wartirlki panu. Ngulajangka kanarlu-jana nyanyi kuyu-patu marnkurrpa minija, pujuma manu walpajirri yartiwajirla, wita-karri-karrirlki kalu nyinami walpajirri-watiji manu minija-watiji manu nganayiji pujumaju kalu panu nyinami nyampurla walyangkaju (ngurungkaju). Wiri-jarlu warluju ngulaju maju walpajirri-kiji. Pujumaju panu, punku walpajirri-kiji.

The translation of this short summary from English to Warlpiri language was provided by Annette Patrick from the community of Lajamanu in the northern Tanami Desert. Warlpiri language is spoken by ~3000 of the Warlpiri people from the Tanami Desert, north-west of Alice Springs in central Australia.

This article belongs to the collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Amidst growing international calls for inclusive conservation, and a backdrop of declining species and cultural diversity, Indigenous-led conservation approaches are of growing importance. This study established a working list of priority animals of concern to Yolŋu Yirralka Rangers and Ŋalapalmi (knowledge holders) in the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area. This priority animal list will guide Indigenous-led fauna management and equitable, collaborative fauna research grounded in Yolŋu priorities. Photograph by Yirralka Rangers.

This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

We studied the impacts of fire-mosaic attributes on the occurrence of Ngarlgumirdi on the Dampier Peninsula. Ngarlgumirdi were more prevalent in areas with higher proportions of habitat that had not burnt for at least 3 years, or had burnt less frequently. Feral cats were less common in these habitats. These results emphasise the importance of reducing fire frequency and protecting long-unburnt vegetation to maintain Ngarlgumirdi habitat, and support a cross-tenure initiative to manage fire more effectively in the region. Photograph by Harry Moore.

Yawuru: Gamba nalgumirdi, marlu manyja yagarrmurungun miliya, Manyjanyurdany gurdirdi warli yingarrbangngaran gangajunu, warligarra waranygabu buru yingarrarlin gangajunu gamba gurlju yirr jaril yagarraman ngarraya. Marlugarriny yagarralangan narlinyurdany jalaluyi janangarru nyamba miliya. Dampiergun juluburu yagarrabaran yirr yagarrabanggan gamba ngurru nalgumirdigarra burugun gamba jarriny ngurru marlu junggu yinganda gurdidiyi wula, buru junggu manyjan wubardujina yinganda yirr marlu manyjan gurdirdi minyaw nyambagun. Nyamba galwaragaja gamba jurrungu yingan yagarramaguran wubardu buruyi junggu yilurran yirr yagarrajalalan buru Marlu jungu yinganngany nalgumirdi, barndany yinamalyjan nganinya yagarragurndin jurrungu nyambagun buru.

The translation of this short summary from English into Yawuru language was provided by the Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga Language Centre. Yawuru language is a Western Nyulnyulan language spoken by people from the Broome region in Western Australia.

This article belongs to the collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

This paper outlines the Eastern Maar approach to biocultural landscape restoration. The paper outlines the principles that guide the practice and how culturally significant entities are central to the way we view and understand Country. Finally, the paper highlights ways that non-Maar people and organisations can partner with us to care for Eastern Maar Country. Photograph by David Roberts.

This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

We conducted a survey, and present a case study, of the perspectives of non-Indigenous practitioners and Traditional Owners who had been involved with conservation translocations. The main finding was to acknowledge the importance of recognising and adopting the cultural dimension of conservation translocations when conducted on Indigenous Country. Results highlight key guiding principles to assist increased partnerships between Traditional Owners and western practitioners. Photograph by Wild Deserts.

This article belongs to the collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

This paper provides an introduction to night parrots in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia from the dual perspectives of Indigenous rangers and scientists working together to understand their ecology on the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area. We describe night parrot roosting habitat and use firescar mapping and predator surveys to develop recommendations for the protection of night parrots in this area.

Kukatja summary: Ngatjangkura inni kulu kulkurru ngaka ngurrupa IPA. Rangers kamu scientists paya warakuyarra kutjungka tjatuwana mangininpa. Kulkurruya Ngurra tjanapa nginaya mangalwana. Ngampurrpala tjana kangikuwa warukamarra wilpinpa murtitikirlpaya kamu murtika.

A short video describing our project can be seen here.

This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.