Arid Recovery explores Finniss Springs with Arabana Rangers

Though the elusive mulgara stayed hidden during our fauna survey at Finniss Springs, we found ourselves in great company amidst an even greater landscape.

Arid Recovery was invited by the Arabana Rangers to do a fauna survey on Finniss Springs, located 130 km north of our reserve, just below the famous Oodnadatta Track. Arabana Country is known for its iconic mound springs and the vast expanse of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. As the Traditional Owners of the region, the Arabana people hold a deep connection to this land, and it was a privilege to join them for a fauna survey.

Four years ago, we visited Finniss Springs to carry out a similar survey, and this time, we returned to learn and collaborate once again. The Arabana Rangers showed enthusiasm as they learnt the particulars of pitfall and Elliott trapping. Setting up pitfall traps involves digging buckets into the ground and setting up low mesh fences to guide animals toward the traps—similar to how a mouse might follow the edges of a room. While we were all proficient at digging and setting traps, the animals were less cooperative. In one amusing moment, we watched a curious brown snake slither along the mesh fence. With bated breath, we watched it approach the bucket, only for it to poke its head in and decide against it, retreating back into the bushes. Though the snake eluded us, we were lucky enough to trap a few skinks, geckos, and painted dragons, as well as spotting over 50 birds.


A painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus), and Arabana Ranger Hayden with a gidgee skink (Egernia stokesii)One of the memorable parts of our trip was exploring a nearby rocky outcrop where we discovered fossils of leaves and the preserved footprints of kangaroos and emus. The rocks seemed perfect for gidgee skinks, and with a bit of investigating, we spotted their tell-tale signs—piles of gidgee skink poop neatly deposited in communal areas. After some patient searching, we finally found the elusive skinks basking among the rocks.

Although we didn’t catch any mammals, we did find some tracks that looked suspiciously like mulgara prints. To improve our chances, we swapped out our Elliott trap bait from peanut butter and oats to chicken wings, hoping to entice the little carnivores. Alas, the mulgara remained elusive—but that just gives us another reason to return.

A cheeky western-brown snake (Pseudonaja nuchalis) not going into the pitfall; and Arabana Ranger Aaimish with a regal striped skink (Ctenotus regius)One of the most enriching parts of the trip was learning the Arabana names for the local wildlife. For instance, the word for snake is wabma, and the sand goanna is kaparri. The name that brought the most laughs was Kudnhatiltyi which translates to 'shit chicken'—the Arabana name for the black-tailed native hen, because they poo everywhere. Our time at Finniss Springs with the Arabana Rangers was an unforgettable experience, full of learning, laughter, and connection to the land. While the fauna survey didn't yield everything we hoped, it deepened our understanding of the animals and the rich cultural heritage that ties them to this special place. We can't wait for the next chance to return and continue our journey with the Arabana people.

The Eyre Basin beaked gecko (Rhynchoedura eyrensis)