CSIRO PUBLISHING | Wildlife Research

The rights, responsibilities and expertise of Indigenous Australians in Caring for Country are increasingly acknowledged in policy and management. Likewise, Traditional Ecological and Biocultural perspectives are becoming more prominent in ecological research. Indigenous groups are developing and addressing their own research priorities, increasingly driving research agendas rather than responding to requests for collaboration from non-Indigenous scientists. The growing leadership of Indigenous Australians across applied ecological research is fuelling growth in cross-cultural science. This special issue aims to recognise and celebrate the leadership and collaboration of Indigenous Australians in wildlife research, and showcase how this is generating fresh insights for conservation and wildlife management.

Collection Editors
Jack Pascoe (University of Melbourne, Yuin, living on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land)
Stephen van Leeuwen (Curtin University, Wardandi Noongar, living on Wadjuk Noongar Boodja)
Marlee Hutton (Kimberley Land Council, Bardi Jawi, living on Yawuru Land)
Emilie Ens (Macquarie University, Living on Dharug Land)
Hannah Cliff (Indigenous Desert Alliance, Living on Wadjuk Noongar Boodja)
Sarah Legge (Charles Darwin University, Living on Bundjalung Land)

Last Updated: 24 Apr 2024

WR23117Where there’s smoke, there’s cats: long-unburnt habitat is crucial to mitigating the impacts of cats on the Ngarlgumirdi, greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis)

Harry A. Moore

, Yawuru Country Managers , Bardi Jawi Oorany Rangers , Nyul Nyul Rangers , Nykina Mangala Rangers , Lesley A. Gibson, Martin A. Dziminski, Ian J. Radford

, Ben Corey, Karen Bettink, Fiona M. Carpenter, Ruth McPhail, Tracy Sonneman and Bruce Greatwich

Photograph of Yawuru Country Managers showing Ngarlgumirdi scat material in hand.

We studied the impacts of fire-mosaic attributes on the occurence 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 habitats to maintain Ngarlgumirdi habitat, and supporta cross-tenure initiative to manage fire more effectively in the region.

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. Photograph by Harry Moore.

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