The Warrarna, or Great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei), a totem species recognized by the Warlpiri people of Australia, is under severe threat of extinction. As its name suggests, this spectacular lizard can be up to 44 centimeters long. Cleland/Shutterstock.com Its vibrant, orange dorsal scales fade into bright yellow ventral scales, making it a source of national pride and cultural importance for desert Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Warrarna has been on Australia’s national threatened species list since 2000. Its decline has devastated the cultural health of indigenous communities where coral is central to their art, stories, and songs.
Conservation efforts are now afoot, led by Indigenous-led efforts that involve sharing traditional knowledge and keeping watch on populations through ranger groups. Specifically, traditional knowledge holders such as Christine Ellis, a Warlpiri ranger and tracker, are leading the way on these initiatives. She advocates for protecting Warrarna not just for its environmental value, but for Indigenous cultural heritage.
Cultural Significance and Ecological Role
The Warrarna is an integral part of the ecosystem of Australia’s desert interior. Living in burrows in family groups of four or more, these lizards contribute to the ecological balance of their habitat. Indigenous communities have a right to be alarmed at their peoples’ population decline. This reduction has a direct effect on their cultural identity and connection to the land.
Christine Ellis recalls being a kid, and her mother making Warrarna in the home kitchen. She would roast it in hot embers and then just remove the blackened peel. We’ve been training other rangers to track Warrarna,” she continued. She made a point to include the necessity for traditional knowledge and today’s conservation actions.
Moreover, research indicates that mosaic burning patterns, historically employed by Aboriginal desert groups for land management, are beneficial for the Warrarna’s habitat. These developing practices enable the lizard to stay alive. By reconnecting them with their ancestors, they reinforce the cultural ties Indigenous people like Nibone have with their land.
Collaborative Conservation Efforts
Indigenous ranger groups throughout Warrarna’s range have been coming together to share knowledge and maintain a watch on the population. Dr. Rachel Paltridge echoed that call for additional research. She said, “They’re trying to get more of them and take better care of them. This collaborative and inclusive approach is critical for creating effective recovery strategies.
This law acknowledges the existence of culturally significant entities, which the Warrarna could be classified as. Lisien Loan elaborated on this legislative change: “A state-level threatened species recovery plan would need to consider whether that species is a significant cultural biodiversity entity and involve First Nations in the development of the plan and recovery actions.”
Dr. Teagan Shields, a conservation scientist and Arabana woman, is deeply engaged in these Indigenous-led conservation movements. She hopes that the new designation of these culturally important species can help propel national change. For the moment, we’ve been pretty successful on this front. That’s awesome to hear! This is how we change that,” she noted.
Future Directions for Conservation
Indigenous-led recovery plans, such as those called for by the Warrarna, are necessary on multiple fronts. Other culturally significant species, such as the golden-shouldered parrot (alwal), are in line to receive similar treatment under these initiatives. Dr. Shields pointed out that there is a growing trend towards integrating Indigenous knowledge into conservation practices: “What we’re starting to see in these plans is the marrying of species and talks about that whole systems approach.”
Additionally, collaborative projects between anti-ranger ranger groups have utilized advanced communications technology to turn effective management into oppression. Dr. Paltridge had the thrill of announcing our new projects to ranger cohorts. This is the highest technology, cutting edge stuff when it comes to cat control, and pretty novel in terms of species recovery.
