The Little Sandy Desert (LSD) is a desert region in the state of Western Australia, lying to the east of the Pilbara and north of the Gascoyne regions. It is part of the Western Desert cultural region, and was declared an interim Australian bioregion in the 1990s. History Indigenous groups that have identified with the region include the Mandilara, an Aboriginal Australian group who are regarded as the traditional owners of the land. Today the group recognised as traditional owners are the Martu people. The desert is crossed by the Canning Stock Route, an historic stock route created in the early 20th century. Description The Little Sandy Desert covers around and adjoins the Great Sandy Desert (, to the north) and the Gibson Desert (, to the east), all of which lie within the huge Australian Arid Zone which covers the centre of the Australian continent. It lies east of the Pilbara region, and north of Gascoyne, and is part of the Western Desert. To the north the nearest large area identifiable is the Karlamilyi National Park. Geography Its landforms, fauna and flora are all similar to the Great Sandy Desert. The three deserts have low and highly variable rainfall, averaging annually, with most of it in summer. The median annual rainfall, based on the years 1890–2005, across the whole of the LSD is . and are subject to extreme heat. The landscape is dominated by red sand dunes, sandstone mesas and rocky plains. The Rudall River has its headwaters in the LSD, flowing northeast into the southern Great Sandy Desert, where it occasionally empties into Lake Dora, an ephemeral salt lake. There are a few permanent water sources in the hills, and some waterholes left by the Canning Stock Route. The town of Jigalong is on the western edge of the desert, with a population of approximately 300 in 2016. The traditional owners of this area are recognised as the Martu people. There are also two smaller communities at Parnngurr and Punmu. Locations Some of the landforms and locations within the LSD include: Carnarvon Range, aka Katjarra Calvert Range McKay Range Durba Hills Savory Creek Kumpupintil Lake (formerly Lake Disappointment) Rudall River headwaters Beyondie Camp Cooma Camp Savory Camp Ecology There is a high level of biodiversity among plants and animals, with some species threatened by various factors. Only around 4.6% of the Little Sandy Desert bioregion is within