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.

澳大利亚西北海域栖息着诸多极具标志性的海洋生物。为应对潜在的生存威胁，我们需首先明晰这些种群的分布范围、迁移路径，以及其繁育与觅食的核心区域。本研究主题旨在结合成熟技术与创新手段，阐明侏儒蓝鲸（pygmy blue whale）、玳瑁（hawksbill turtle）与绿海龟（green turtle）的分布情况，并量化船舶航行、工业基础设施及澳大利亚西北陆架海域的各类人类活动，对上述物种及其他标志性巨型海洋生物（megafauna）构成的潜在风险。
本项目采用三种方法追踪鲸类：卫星追踪；利用附着在水下滑翔机（sea gliders）上的水听器（hydrophones）开展声学调查；以及通过分析水样中的DNA进行物种溯源。为明晰绿海龟与玳瑁的活动范围，研究人员将为个体海龟佩戴卫星追踪标签。上述追踪数据将明确二者的活动海域，并与人类活动海域进行比对，以凸显二者的重叠区域。