The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes were announced in August, and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science was awarded to the Yugul Mangi Rangers, Ngukurr School and members from the remote Aboriginal community of Ngukurr, Ngandi Elder Cherry Wulumirr Daniels and Emilie Ens of Macquarie University.
Their project, Ngukurr Wi Stadi bla Kantri (We study the Country), is a knowledge exchange between Aboriginal communities and scientists, and it involves developing tools for cross-cultural biodiversity assessment.
The work has led to the discovery of a new species of firetail skink and found new populations of a threatened species – the Leichardt’s grasshopper. The project has also produced the Ngukurr community’s first ever university Bachelor degree students.
The Atlas of Living Australia contributes to the Yugul Mangi Rangers’ work as part of our Indigenous Ecological Knowledge program. For more information, please contact Nat Raisbeck-Brown.
