New findings from a large-scale aerial survey of the Gulf of Carpentaria have raised concerns regarding the status and distribution of dugongs in parts of northern Australia.
The survey was led by James Cook University’s TropWATER and Charles Darwin University’s Northern Institute in collaboration with Traditional Owners and Indigenous Ranger groups. It represents the first Gulf-wide assessment of dugong populations since 2007, providing an important update on the species across one of Australia’s significant dugong habitats.
The results point to marked differences between the eastern and western Gulf. On the Queensland side, researchers recorded 63 dugongs, compared with 240 during the 2007 survey. Researchers caution that further analysis and continued monitoring are needed to understand the factors underlying these patterns and determine the extent to which they reflect changes in abundance, distribution or environmental conditions.
The findings are particularly relevant in the context of significant declines in seagrass – the main food source for dugongs – documented through recent monitoring in several important dugong areas across the Gulf, including Yanyuwa Sea Country around the Sir Edward Pellew Islands, Marra Sea Country at Limmen Bight, and Karumba. As dugongs depend heavily on healthy and accessible seagrass meadows, monitoring changes in both dugong populations and the condition of their habitats is important for understanding changes in their abundance and distribution and informing appropriate conservation and management responses.
Dr Chris Cleguer, member of the CMS Dugong MOU Dugong Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) and a technical partner to the IKI Seagrass Ecosystem Services (IKI SES) project, emphasized that the long interval between Gulf-wide surveys limits the ability to identify and interpret population trends. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening long-term monitoring capacity and supporting Traditional Owners to lead monitoring of dugongs and Sea Country.
The survey provides an important addition to the evidence base for dugong and seagrass conservation and underscores the value of regular, coordinated and locally led monitoring. Importantly, the findings also highlight the need for monitoring to translate into practical conservation and management action. Bringing together scientific evidence, Traditional Owner knowledge and Ranger observations, alongside adequate authority and resources for local communities, will be essential to enable timely responses to changes in dugong populations and their habitats and to strengthen the protection of dugongs and Sea Country. More broadly, the findings reinforce the importance of linking long-term monitoring with effective management and protection of dugongs and the seagrass ecosystems on which they depend.