Unique Hunting Methods of Martu People Increases Animal Populations [VIDEO]

A new study on the unique hunting methods of aboriginal Martu people in Australia's Western Desert suggests that animal populations in the desert actually increase due to the hunting.

The conclusion, though seemingly contrary to the practice of hunting, is presented in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B by a team of researchers from the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.

Populations of monitor lizards, the researchers found, nearly double in areas of the desert where they are heavily hunted.

If the hunters were simply using knives or guns kill the lizards, the results would likely be different. But the aboriginal's technique of setting fire to clear patches of land to increase the ease of searching for game, also ends up creating a "mosaic of growth that enhances habitat," the researchers report.

"Our results show that humans can have positive impacts on other species without the need for policies of conservation and resource management," said anthropologist Rebecca Bird. "In the case of indigenous communities, the everyday practice of subsistence might be just as effective at maintaining biodiversity as the activities of other organisms."

The researchers say the aboriginal philosophy of "jukurr" defines the way the Martu interact with their environment.

"At its core is the concept that land must be used if life is to continue," the researchers write. "Therefore, Martu believe the absence of hunting, not its presence, causes species to decline."

The study also suggests that during the mid-20th century, when a persecution of the aboriginal tribes in Australia led to a decline in hunting and traditional economies, many desert species went extinct.