Australia has declared more than 10 million hectares of Aboriginal¹ land as its largest conservation zone.

澳大利亚宣布将土著民族超过1000万公顷的土地作为环境保护区。

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（野生的） cats and foxes. Fires are also a threat to the area.

Indigenous²（本土的） rangers³ will now work to protect the area.

The new conservation zone - said to be Australia's largest - encompasses⁴ deserts and savannas⁵.

The designation follows four years of discussions between the government, 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 marsupial⁶（有袋类动物） , and the great desert skink, a burrowing⁷ lizard⁸.

Aside from boosting employment, tribal⁹ leaders say the conservation agreement will also help sustain their way of life, says the BBC's Phil Mercer.

Land lies at the heart of Aboriginal culture, where the Earth is considered to be the mother of creation, our correspondent adds.