From two worlds to one: a Navajo (Diné) woman’s path in herpetology

Herpetology, like the species it seeks to understand, exists within relationships between land, water, and the people who have long cared for them. However, for generations, its roots in discovery, collection, and classification have silenced Indigenous voices and separated science from relationship. As a Diné (Navajo) herpetologist, I write from within these intersections, exploring how Indigenous Knowledge (IK) can transform the questions we ask and the ways we conduct research. First, I trace the colonial foundations of herpetology and how Indigenous cultural protocols, rooted in respect, have been misinterpreted as barriers to scientific engagement. Next, I examine how IK has guided wildlife science, from ethnoherpetology to conservation biology, offering frameworks of relational accountability, long-term ecological insight, and community care. I grounded these ideas in a case study of Northern leopard frog ( Lithobates pipiens ) research conducted with the Navajo Nation, where populations are threatened by interacting effects, including grazing and climate-driven hydrologic change. Guided by the 4 R’s of Indigenous research practice ( i.e. , Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, and Responsibility), integrating Diné teachings produced tangible methodological outcomes, including culturally guided site selection, reliance on non-invasive approaches such as environmental DNA and acoustic monitoring, careful interpretation of uncertainty, and Tribal authority over data governance. These outcomes reframed conservation from documenting decline to preparing for restoration grounded in long-term stewardship. While shaped by Diné teachings, this approach does not offer a universal template. Instead, it demonstrates how conservation science can remain rigorous while becoming more relational, accountable, and responsive to Indigenous sovereignty and responsibility.