yanyuwa sea country marine wildlife surveys. objective of the project to gather and record...

Yanyuwa Sea Country Marine Wildlife Surveys

Objective of the project

To gather and record information on where dolphins, dugongs and turtles are found in the Yanyuwa Sea Country

Why is this project important?

• Dolphins are an important part of the marine ecosystem.• There is limited written knowledge about dolphins in Yanyuwa Sea Country. • Snubfin dolphins are only found in Australia, including Yanyuwa Sea Country, and thus are

of high conservation value.• Increased knowledge of dolphins will help TOs and Sea Rangers protect them.• In other areas, dolphins are accidentally killed in fishing nets and speed boats, and may

be shifted from their preferred areas by coastal development and noisy boats.• Local sea rangers are training so that they can continue to monitor dolphins in Yanyuwa

Sea Country.• Dolphins are only one part of the natural system that the rangers are monitoring to help

protect Yanyuwa Sea Country.

Combination of Methods

Traditional and

local knowledge

Scientific

knowledge

Methods – existing knowledge

Dolphin Locations

Dugong Locations

Seagrass beds

Methods – scientific survey

Boat Line Transect Survey Survey Team

Sampling Training

r

x

X = r sin()

CyberTracker

Dolphin ID:wundumarlamarla a-bumirri miriyi Waliki

What did we see?

Snubfin dolphins (2 groups)

Humpback dolphins (4 groups)

Bottlenose dolphins (1 group)

Dugongs (21)Turtles (37)

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Legend

[̄ miriyi

[̄ a-bumirri

[̄ wundumarlamarla

[̄ unknown dolphin

[¤ waliki

transects

Wur

Rru

Wur

Rru

Rru

Wuy

Wur

Mam

Wur

Wur

Mam

Wuy

Wur: Wurdalyia Wuy: Wuyaliya Rru: Rrumburriya Mam: Mambaliya-Wawukarriya

Wur

Conclusions Dolphins occur throughout much of the Yanyuwa Sea

Country. Dolphins appear to occur in low numbers in Yanyuwa

country, but further surveys during different seasons are required.

The area supports a large density of turtles and dugongs. Dolphins were very secretive compared to dolphins in

other areas – could not get close to them.

Telling people about the work

Posters Community meetings Reports to Government Scientific articles

What next? Researchers will apply for more money to

continue dolphin monitoring. Rangers are keen to continue training to

enable them to conduct surveys on their own.

Current results will assist the rangers and TOs with sea country planning and management.

Acknowledgements Assistance and participation of the li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Rangers was

critical for the success of the boat surveys. Partner organisations included:

James Cook University Flinders University Monash University Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment,

the Arts and Sport NAILSMA provided assistance in the use of CyberTracker and a Nomad

unit to record data. Carol Palmer provided assistance in developing Marine Wildlife-Tracker

CyberTracker sequence

Summary the Dolphin Project

Existing Knowledge Survey Knowledge 2009