The Nyikina Mangala Rangers are based at the community of Jarlmadangah and their work is focused around the Fitzroy River, which is central to the cultural heritage of the Nyikina Mangala people. From the tidal waters of King Sound to the northern reaches of the Great Sandy Desert, the Fitzroy River is the lifeline that connects Nyikina and Mangala country.
The Nyikina Mangala Rangers are charged with the responsibility to manage this significant water source through conducting water health research, biodiversity surveys, marine and freshwater fish tagging, weed management, feral animal and saltwater crocodile management. The rangers also have worked with partnering universities and resource management agencies to document fish species in the Fitzroy. The involvement of the rangers has facilitated valuable research on the movement and habitat of the threatened fresh water sawfish, Pristis microdon through satellite tagging work.
Cultural advisers and elders work with the Nyikina Mangala Rangers to teach them about traditional knowledge, stories, language, culture and heritage. The rangers use traditional knowledge combined with contemporary science to carry out their conservation and land management activities.
