NWSSRP Theme 3 - Protected and Iconic Species Movement, Distribution and Threats

Australia's North West is home to some of our most iconic marine animals. To manage potential threats, we need to understand where the populations are, where they move and the key areas they use to breed and feed. The objective of this theme is to use a combination of proven and innovative methods to elucidate pygmy blue whale, hawksbill turtle and green turtle distribution and quantify the risks to these, and other, iconic megafauna posed by vessel movements, industrial infrastructure and activities on the Northwest Shelf of Australia.This project is tracking whales using three methods: satellite tracking; acoustic surveys using hydrophones attached to sea gliders; and analysing water samples for their DNA. To understand where green turtles and hawkbill turtle roam, researchers will follow them by attaching satellite tags to individual turtles. These tracks identifiy the areas they use, and will be compared to the areas of human activities, highlighting where both overlap.