Sharing culture to create new homes for the golden-tipped bat
Girrimarring wiirrilgal bulany ngayanbading (bat nest-type fur sun-like). Our native animal and plant species hold significant spiritual and cultural values for Indigenous people. Their unique connection to nature and their knowledge of Country are vital to helping save threatened species.
On Gumbaynggirr country on the North Coast of New South Wales, the local Aboriginal community has been sharing knowledge to support the North East Saving our Species team to provide new homes for the region’s golden-tipped bat population following the considerable loss of habitat in the 2019–2020 bushfires. Uncle Gary Williams, project partner at Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative, coined the phrase and project name ‘Girrimarring wiirrilgal bulany ngayanbading’ (translating as 'bat nest-type fur sun-like').
The golden-tipped bat is a vulnerable species of microbat. Adults weigh up to approximately 6 grams and have a wingspan of 25cm. They are found along the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range in rainforests and tall eucalypt forests close to streams, where they roost in the base of nests made by the yellow-throated scrubwren or brown gerygone. The bats change roosts regularly, flying up to 2 kilometres away from their nests to forage for orb-weaving spiders.
Gumbaynggirr elders and community members have been using traditional weaving techniques to create hand-made roosts from locally sourced natural plant materials such as lomandra leaves, paperbark and various vines, as well as twine and raffia. The roosts are then being hung in golden-tipped bat habitat along with heat and motion sensor cameras so the project team can keep a close eye on which species are using the roosts and how often. The work is contributing to stronger partnerships with Indigenous knowledge holders and the sharing of traditional cultural practice to educate the community about the golden-tipped bat while designing the best replacement options for habitat lost to fire.
Sharing Indigenous cultural practices, knowledge and wisdom intergenerationally and across the community plays a vital role in the conservation of this unique threatened species and this project has helped increase participation and awareness of threatened species conservation and caring for Country.
Girrimarring wiirrilgal bulany ngayanbading is being undertaken by Saving our Species in partnership with Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative in southern Gumbaynggirr nation and the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre in the northern Gumbaynggirr nation, with support from the Australian Government’s $200 million Bushfire Recovery Program.
