Tanami established as Australia's largest conservation zone

The Federal Government 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.

The new conservation zone - said to be Australia's largest - encompasses deserts and savannas.

The designation follows four years of discussions between the Federal and State Governments, 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.