Queensland's wild dugongs to be studied

Crystal Ja, 9news 15 May 09;

Queensland biologists are getting up close and personal with some of Moreton Bay's wild dugongs in an on-going study monitoring their health and sex lives.

Workers from the Gold Coast's Sea World and the University of Queensland hope to capture and release 17 dugongs during a week-long study in Moreton Bay, home to one of Australia's densest dugong populations.

Research team leader Janet Lanyon says the animals would be brought on to the research boat and examined for about 30 to 40 minutes.

The biologists will look to blood, urine, faecal and exhaled air samples, as well as tears, to assess the health of the animal, checking for illness or disease, as well as its reproductive capabilities.

"Assessing the health of these animals is a valuable tool in determining the fitness of wildlife populations," Dr Lanyon said.

"And once we understand seasonality and timing of reproductive patterns, we will be able to develop useful models of population dynamics for vulnerable dugongs."

The odd-looking marine mammal, a protected species in Australia, is in decline across the globe with fears human interference is largely to blame.

Because dugongs enjoy living in shallow waters, they are more vulnerable to human activity, with reports of dugongs being caught in fishing nets and hit by boats.