Two of KJ’s ranger teams are now managing populations of mulyamiji (Great Desert Skink, Liopholis kintorei) — a species culturally significant for Martu, endemic to the western half of Australia and nationally listed as a vulnerable species.

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, the Martu communities took on an unexpected and crucial role. “We did a census in Newman,” says Peter. “The Martu population there went from about 370 people to about 190 people and of that 190 only about 40 are children. Working with Martu, we got old people and children as well as whole families out of the towns and back into communities.”

KJ’s men and women rangers continue to build on 10-year-strong fire-management partnership developed with Wildlife Service WA (PWS) Swan Coastal District fire crew.

In the slightly salty claypans on Martu country, an edible native succulent kalaru (samphire) grows, and people from all over Punmu community have come together to share and record knowledge of how Martu turn this seed into damper.

The lifting of coronavirus restrictions saw the Jigalong rangers head out near the Canning Stock Route for their annual fire and pakaljarra (Black-flanked Rock-wallaby) work.

Martu rangers have successfully located the elusive Night Parrot in remote salt lake country in Western Australia. For two years, Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa’s ranger teams have been using sound recorders to search for the mysterious birds which are one of the rarest in the world. Experts from the University of Queensland have been assisting the search and, to the rangers’ delight, the hard work has finally paid off!

Australian scientists and indigenous rangers have devised a new method to incorporate indigenous knowledge ­­about a threatened desert marsupial — the greater bilby — into predictive species distribution models.

Fifteen years ago, Mr Taylor founded KJ with Sue Davenport and Peter Johnson, who were also honoured. Muuki is KJ’s senior cultural advisor and founded KJ to assist Martu to remain connected to country and culture.

To combat the threats to mankarr (bilby) populations, BHP is supporting the “Martu mankarr search” method which is based on Martu knowledge of desert ecology, classification of habitat types, fire patterns, food resources, threats and management practices that affect desert animals.

Martu have partnered with the Western Australian Museum to share Martu stories in the new museum which is scheduled to open in late 2020. One of these stories is about Martu knowledge of yintakaja (permanent waterholes) in the desert.