WAMSI 2 Kimberley Node: Project 1.2.5 Integrating Indigenous knowledge and survey techniques to develop a baseline for dugong (Dugong dugon) management in the Kimberley

Dugongs (Dugong dugon) are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species and as other specially protected fauna in WA under Schedule 7 of the Wildlife Conservation (Specially Protected Fauna) Notice 2015). Gaps in our knowledge in Western Australia include having a good understanding of the species’ distribution, abundance and high use areas across the northwest.This 3-year project (2014-2017) integrated Indigenous knowledge and scientific observations from field surveys to better understand the distribution, abundance and movements of dugong in the Kimberley region. The data collected also provides a baseline for future monitoring and management.This medata record relates to raw and processed aerial survey data of marine fauna collected between 21st September 2015 and 8th October 2015 in Kimberley coastal waters to the 20m bathymetry line, comprising dugongs (Dugong dugon), Australian snubfin dolphins (Orcaella heinsohni), other dolphins (bottlenose, spinners, false killer whales), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and large, mostly green turtles (Chelonia mydas). The WA Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA, ex-DPaW) and CSIRO provided additional resources to extend the North Kimberley dugong aerial survey boundary westwards (Broome to just past Port Hedland) to cover the South Kimberley-Pilbara coastal regions, to close the last remaining knowledge gap of the dugong distribution and abundance in Australia. This additional survey was completed in May 2017.Data from a trial movement study undertaken between 1-18th August 2016 also forms part of this metadata record. Five dugongs were tagged with Telonics manatee/dugong tags. GPS and ARGOS satellite detection locations and dive data were downloaded weekly from the ARGOS web site.

儒艮（Dugong dugon）被列入《世界自然保护联盟濒危物种红色名录》（IUCN Red List of Threatened Species），属于易危物种；同时根据2015年《野生动物保护（特殊保护动物）公告》附表7，在西澳大利亚州（WA）被列为特殊保护动物。我们在西澳大利亚州的整体认知仍存在缺口，不过针对该物种在西北部的分布、种群数量及高频活动区域，我们已经形成了较为充分的认知。

本项目为期三年（2014-2017年），整合了原住民传统知识与野外调查的科学观测数据，旨在更全面地了解金伯利地区儒艮的分布、种群数量及活动规律。所收集的数据同时可为未来的监测与管理工作提供基准参考。

本元数据记录涵盖2015年9月21日至10月8日期间，在金伯利沿海海域至20米等深线范围内收集的海洋动物航空调查原始与处理后数据，涉及物种包括儒艮（Dugong dugon）、澳洲短鳍海豚（Orcaella heinsohni）、其他海豚类（宽吻海豚、旋纹海豚、伪虎鲸）、座头鲸（Megaptera novaeangliae）以及体型占比居多的大型绿海龟（Chelonia mydas）。

西澳大利亚州生物多样性保护与吸引部（WA Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions，简称DBCA，前身为DPaW）与澳大利亚联邦科学与工业研究组织（CSIRO）提供了额外资源，将北金伯利儒艮航空调查的范围向西拓展（从布鲁姆至黑德兰港附近），以覆盖南金伯利-皮尔巴拉沿海区域，填补澳大利亚境内儒艮分布与种群数量认知的最后一处知识空白。本次补充调查于2017年5月完成。

2016年8月1日至18日开展的一项移动性试验研究的数据也被纳入本元数据记录。研究人员为5头儒艮佩戴了Telonics公司生产的海牛/儒艮卫星追踪标签。每周从ARGOS网站下载GPS与ARGOS卫星定位数据以及潜水行为数据。