A neat story. These collaborations are becoming more common. Finding facts in many of the stories is very hard, I imagine. Given how little lay people now living know about nature and the Dunning–Kruger effect, etc. picking through cross cultural myths, mistakes and misunderstanding has to be tedious. Finding the right person is key. I know of amateur naturalists that pick out stuff I can’t believe. Observational skill and motivation makes a difference.
So much has been lost. Imagine how much pre-Columbian people knew. What did ancients like neanderthals know?