Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Movements and distribution of dugongs ( Dugong dugon ) in a macro-tidal environment in northern Australia

Movements and distribution of dugongs ( Dugong dugon ) in a macro-tidal environment in northern... A combination of aerial surveys, community sightings and satellite tracking revealed distribution, habitat, relative densities and spatial use of individual dugongs in the Darwin region of the Northern Territory. Aerial surveys in both the wet and dry seasons estimated relatively low densities of dugongs. Most group sightings (73% of all sightings) and densities up to 0.54 dugongs km −2 occurred in one of the four blocks surveyed. This block contained the Vernon Islands and large macro-tidal algal rocky reefs. Two dugongs tracked using satellite transmitters were captured above these reefs and kept a close association with similar reef types during most of their tracking periods of 53 and 154 days. Tracking revealed that dugongs used multiple and distinct areas for periods of several days to over 80 days and utilised coastal sections of up to 300 km in length. This indicates that dugong management in the Darwin region requires the consideration of large spatial scales, multiple habitat types and rocky reef habitat. Community sightings were an important information source and revealed locations of dugongs not identified with either the aerial surveys or satellite tracking. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian Journal of Zoology CSIRO Publishing

Movements and distribution of dugongs ( Dugong dugon ) in a macro-tidal environment in northern Australia

Whiting Scott D. S.D.
Australian Journal of Zoology , Volume 56 (4) – Dec 22, 2008
Download PDF
8 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/csiro-publishing/movements-and-distribution-of-dugongs-dugong-dugon-in-a-macro-tidal-6V48RAYE2Z
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Copyright
CSIRO
ISSN
0004-959X
eISSN
1446-5698
DOI
10.1071/ZO08033
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

A combination of aerial surveys, community sightings and satellite tracking revealed distribution, habitat, relative densities and spatial use of individual dugongs in the Darwin region of the Northern Territory. Aerial surveys in both the wet and dry seasons estimated relatively low densities of dugongs. Most group sightings (73% of all sightings) and densities up to 0.54 dugongs km −2 occurred in one of the four blocks surveyed. This block contained the Vernon Islands and large macro-tidal algal rocky reefs. Two dugongs tracked using satellite transmitters were captured above these reefs and kept a close association with similar reef types during most of their tracking periods of 53 and 154 days. Tracking revealed that dugongs used multiple and distinct areas for periods of several days to over 80 days and utilised coastal sections of up to 300 km in length. This indicates that dugong management in the Darwin region requires the consideration of large spatial scales, multiple habitat types and rocky reef habitat. Community sightings were an important information source and revealed locations of dugongs not identified with either the aerial surveys or satellite tracking.

Journal

Australian Journal of Zoology – CSIRO Publishing

Published: Dec 22, 2008

References

  • Factors affecting aerial surveys of marine fauna, and their relationship to a census of dugongs in the coastal waters of the Northern Territory.
    Bayliss P.
  • Seasonal distribution and abundance of dugongs in the western Gulf of Carpentaria.
    Bayliss P.
  • Satellite tracking and analysis
    Coyne M. S.
  • Movement and home ranges of dugongs around the Lease Islands, East Indonesia.
    de Iongh H. H.
  • Change in abundance of dugongs in Shark Bay, Ningaloo and Exmouth, Western Australia: evidence for large-scale migration.
    Gales N.
  • Foods and feeding habits of the dugong, Dugong dugon (Erxleben), in northern Queensland, Australia.
    Heinsohn G. E.
  • Unsustainable harvest of dugongs in Torres Strait and Cape
    Heinsohn R.
  • Response of dugongs to boat traffic: the risk of disturbance and displacement.
    Hodgson A. J.
  • Summer survey of dugong distribution and abundance in Shark Bay reveals additional key habitat area.
    Holley D. K.
  • Factors influencing the sustainability of customary dugong hunting by a remote indigenous community.
    Kwan D.
  • Distribution and abundance of dugongs in Moreton Bay, Queensland.
    Lanyon J. M.
  • A method for capturing dugongs ( Dugong dugon ) in open water.
    Lanyon J. M.
  • Development and application of conventional and satellite radio tracking techniques for studying dugong movements and habitat use.
    Marsh H.
  • Aerial surveys of sea turtles in the northern Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
    Marsh H.
  • Distribution and abundance of dugongs in the northern Great Barrier Reef Marine
    Marsh H.
  • Correcting for sightability bias in strip transect aerial surveys of aquatic fauna.
    Marsh H.
  • An experimental evaluation of dugong and sea turtle aerial survey techniques.
    Marsh H.
  • Analysis of stomach contents of dugongs from Queensland.
    Marsh H.
  • The distribution and abundance of the dugong in Shark Bay, Western Australia.
    Marsh H.
  • A conservation strategy for dugongs: implications of Australian research.
    Marsh H.
  • Aerial surveys and the potential biological removal technique indicate that the Torres Strait dugong fishery is unsustainable.
    Marsh H.
  • Diet of dugongs: are they omnivores?
    Preen A.
  • Response of dugongs to large-scale loss of seagrass from Hervey Bay, Queensland.
    Preen A. R.
  • Distribution and abundance of dugongs, turtles, dolphins and other megafauna in Shark Bay, Ningaloo Reef and Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia.
    Preen A. R.
  • Estimating animal abundance in heterogenous environments: an application to aerial surveys for dugongs.
    Pollock K.
  • Movement heterogeneity of dugongs, Dugong dugon (Muller) over large spatial scales.
    Sheppard J. K.
  • Cyclone associated feeding changes in the dugong (Mammalia: Sirenia).
    Spain A. V.
  • Opportunistic observations of marine mammals in Fog Bay.
    Whiting S. D.
  • Dive times for foraging dugongs in the Northern Territory.
    Whiting S. D.
  • Rocky reefs provide foraging habitat for dugongs in the Darwin region of Northern Australia.
    Whiting S. D.