NERP TE Project 1.2 Marine wildlife management in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (JCU)

This project will monitor and study dugongs, dolphins and turtles along the coast of the GBRWHA with the following key tasks:\n \n1. Determine the distribution and status of inshore dolphins in the northern Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) by identifying likely important habitats based on collaboration with Tradition Owners and published information, then conduct line transect surveys (along with biopsy samples) in the Cardwell area (Girringun) and Bathurst Bay (far northern GBR).\n\n2. Perform aerial surveys of Dugongs from the region from the southern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) to Cooktown (2011/2012) and from Cooktown north in late 2013. \n\n3. Perform at least two field trips per year between 2011 and 2014 to collect samples of skin (turtle and dugong), feces (dugong) and marine flora (seagrass, algae and mangrove species) to examine foraging dynamics and ecosystem role of green turtles and dugongs in algal and seagrass based ecosystems of the GBRWHA (coastal zone from Bowen to Cardwell). \n\n4. The project will also work with Traditional Owners to improve conservation of these species of conservation concern and high cultural value.

本项目将对大堡礁世界遗产区（Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area，GBRWHA）沿岸的儒艮、海豚与海龟开展监测与研究，核心任务如下：
1. 通过与原住民传统所有者（Traditional Owners）协作并结合公开研究资料，识别关键栖息生境，以明确大堡礁世界遗产区北部近岸海豚的分布与种群现状；随后在卡德维尔地区（格林冈（Girringun））以及巴瑟斯特湾（大堡礁最北端区域）开展航线样线调查，并采集组织活检样本。
2. 于2011/2012年度对大堡礁世界遗产区南部边界至库克敦区间的儒艮开展航空调查，并于2013年末在库克敦以北区域开展同类调查。
3. 2011年至2014年间，每年至少开展两次野外考察，采集海龟与儒艮的皮肤样本、儒艮粪便样本以及海洋植物（海草、藻类与红树物种）样本，以探究绿海龟与儒艮在大堡礁世界遗产区（鲍恩至卡德维尔沿岸带）的藻床与海草生境中的觅食动态与生态系统功能。
4. 本项目还将与原住民传统所有者协作，强化对这些兼具重要保护价值与高文化价值物种的保护工作。