Indigenous rangers work to save Great Desert Skink from extinction
Only 5,000 to 7,000 Great Desert Skinks remain in just 20 desert locations across Australia.
Indigenous rangers, traditional owners and scientists work together to save the Great Desert Skink from extinction. The lizard was once common across inland Australia.
Now it faces extinction. Only 5,000 to 7,000 remain in just 20 locations.
Ranger groups from the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia run yearly surveys across 770,000 square kilometres. They manage fire, remove predators and watch known sites with camera traps.
The skink matters to Aboriginal people. Different First Nations groups know it as Tjakura, Mulyamiji, Warrarna and Nampu.
A 2027 survey will show if these efforts increase numbers.
- 5,000 to 7,000
- Skinks remaining
- 20 desert sites
- Known locations
- 770,000 square kilometres
- Survey range
- Up to 20 groups
- Ranger groups involved
Why it mattersThe effort shows how combining Indigenous knowledge with science can tackle extinction. It protects species that matter to Aboriginal culture and to nature.
AustraliaAustralia is protecting a uniquely Australian species through a model that centres Indigenous land management and traditional knowledge alongside modern conservation science.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
