NERP TE Project 2.1 Marine turtles and dugongs of Torres Strait (JCU)

The project will determine the status of threatened marine (green, hawksbill and flatback) turtles and dugongs in the Torres Strait and threats to these populations. It also will investigate links between different populations of dugongs and turtles in terms of movement and habitat use. They will also assess the abundance of dugongs in the Torres Strait using aerial surveys.\n\nWorking in conjunction with the Torres Strait Regional Authorities (TSRA) Land and Sea Unit and the TSRA Community Ranger program this project will:\n\n1. Determine the status of green turtles in Torres Strait (sex ratios, patterns of juvenile recruitment, nesting success and hatchling production) using seasonal surveys of green turtle foraging and nesting sites. Foraging sites will vary to cover as many different habitats as possible (e.g. one per year). Nesting sites will include Maizub Kaur (Bramble Cay) and Dowar Island (Mer Group)\n\n2. Determine the status of hawksbill and flatback turtles in Torres Strait by conducting Iama community and Mabuiag Community seasonal surveys and trial remote camera deployments at Sassie Island and Malu Kiai (Deliverance Island) to quantify nesting events, which are suspected to be declining, and predation levels, which are speculated to be high. Data will then be used in combination with survey data collected by QDERM (Col Limpus) since 1992, and other life history and mortality data to determine a robust account of population status.\n\n3. Investigate population connectivity of dugong and green turtles using satellite tracking of dugongs caught in the northern section of Torres Strait (i.e. around Biogu), analysis of previous tracking data (from QDERM, CRC TS, MTSRF and AMMC) of turtles and dugongs and collection of skin samples from dugongs and green turtles to strengthen the genetic understanding.\n\n4. Undertake dugong and turtle aerial surveys in March 2011 and November 2013 of western Torres Strait, including the Dugong Sanctuary and the area west of Orman Reef in association with a parallel survey of the northern GBR. \n\n5. Analyse historical data to examine patterns of turtle abundance in key areas such as western Torres Strait and the Dugong Sanctuary.

本项目将评估托雷斯海峡（Torres Strait）内受威胁的海洋海龟（包括绿海龟（green turtle）、玳瑁龟（hawksbill turtle）及平背龟（flatback turtle））与儒艮（dugong）的生存现状，以及这些种群面临的各类威胁。同时，本项目还将研究儒艮与海龟不同种群间的移动模式与栖息地利用关联，并通过航空调查评估托雷斯海峡儒艮的种群丰度。

本项目将与托雷斯海峡区域管理局（Torres Strait Regional Authorities, TSRA）陆地与海洋部门及TSRA社区护林员项目协同开展工作，具体内容如下：

1. 通过对绿海龟觅食与筑巢地点开展季节性调查，明确托雷斯海峡绿海龟的种群现状（包括性比、幼体补充模式、筑巢成功率及幼龟孵化产量）。觅食地点将覆盖尽可能多样的栖息地类型（例如每年更换一处），筑巢地点涵盖迈祖布考尔岛（Maizub Kaur，布拉姆贝礁（Bramble Cay））及多瓦尔岛（Dowar Island，梅尔群岛（Mer Group））。

2. 通过开展伊阿玛社区（Iama community）与马布亚格社区（Mabuiag Community）的季节性调查，并在萨西岛（Sassie Island）及马鲁基亚岛（Malu Kiai，德尔瓦伦斯岛（Deliverance Island））部署试验性远程相机，以量化疑似正在下降的筑巢事件数量与推测偏高的捕食压力，从而明确托雷斯海峡玳瑁龟与平背龟的种群现状。后续将结合QDERM自1992年起由科林·林普斯（Col Limpus）团队收集的调查数据，以及其他生活史与死亡率数据，构建可靠的种群现状评估体系。

3. 通过对托雷斯海峡北部（即比奥古（Biogu）周边区域）捕获的儒艮进行卫星追踪、分析既往海龟与儒艮的追踪数据（来自QDERM、CRC TS、MTSRF及AMMC），以及收集儒艮与绿海龟的皮肤样本以深化种群遗传学认知，研究儒艮与绿海龟的种群连通性。

4. 分别于2011年3月与2013年11月，对托雷斯海峡西部区域（包括儒艮保护区及奥曼礁（Orman Reef）以西区域）开展儒艮与海龟航空调查，同时并行开展大堡礁（Great Barrier Reef, GBR）北部区域的调查。

5. 分析历史数据，以探究托雷斯海峡西部及儒艮保护区等关键区域的海龟种群丰度变化模式。