Indigenous Rangers Lead Battle to Save Australia’s Vanishing Small Mammals
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📰 The quick summary: Experts have reached consensus that controlling feral animals and improving fire management in Australia’s tropical savannas offers the best path to reverse declining small mammal populations.
📈 One key stat: Feral cats kill an estimated 452 million native mammals annually in Australia, with about one-third of these deaths occurring in tropical savannas.
💬 One key quote: “Given the scale at which Indigenous ranger groups operate – and the critical role they play in protecting Australia’s biodiversity and leading innovation in the carbon industry – the level of allocated funding is insufficient to meet the basic delivery costs of these programs,” said Mimal Land Management Aboriginal Corporation chief executive officer Dominic Nicholls.
1️⃣ The big picture: Small mammals across Australia’s tropical savannas have been disappearing at an alarming rate over the past 30 years, with many now threatened by extinction. Recent research has identified feral cats as the most severe threat, followed by habitat destruction from livestock and inappropriate fire patterns. A team of experts analyzed over 100 studies and consulted with 19 specialists, including Traditional Owners and Indigenous rangers, to determine the most effective conservation strategies to bring the small mammals back. Their findings point to reducing feral livestock numbers and improving fire regimes as the most beneficial immediate actions, particularly given the challenges of broad-scale cat control.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Clear consensus on conservation priorities now exists after years of research uncertainty, offering a science-backed path to protect Australia’s vanishing small mammals. Indigenous ranger programs are proving highly effective at implementing the recommended fire management strategies, serving as global leaders in this field. These conservation efforts support not just biodiversity but also strengthen cultural connections and community wellbeing among Indigenous populations. By focusing on manageable threats like reducing feral livestock and improving fire regimes, conservationists can make ecosystems more resilient even as they continue developing better tools to address the challenging problem of feral cat control.
3️⃣ What’s next: Developing more effective tools to directly control feral cats remains a top research priority. Continued and expanded funding for Indigenous ranger programs is essential for implementing the recommended conservation strategies. Proposed land clearing for agriculture in the Top End requires careful consideration as it threatens areas where small mammal communities remain relatively intact.
Read the full story here: The Conversation – Control fire and ferals in Australia’s tropical savannas to bring the small mammals back
