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| The endangered bilby, a marsupial, can be found in Australia's Tanami Desert |
Australia
has declared more than 10 million hectares (24.71 million acres) of Aboriginal
land as its largest conservation zone.
The
southern Tanami Desert in the Northern Territory is home to the country's most
endangered species.
The
survival of these animals has come under threat from pests like feral cats and
foxes. Fires are also a threat to the area.
Indigenous
rangers will now work to protect the area.
The new
conservation zone - said to be Australia's largest - encompasses deserts and
savannas.
The
designation follows four years of discussions between the government,
Aboriginal organisations and environmentalists.
Aboriginal
groups are tasked with managing the Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). Their
duties include protecting endangered species like the bilby, a small marsupial,
and the great desert skink, a burrowing lizard.
Aside from
boosting employment, tribal leaders say the conservation agreement will also
help sustain their way of life, says the BBC's Phil Mercer.
Land lies
at the heart of Aboriginal culture, where the Earth is considered to be the
mother of creation, our correspondent adds.
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