It’s Been A Huge 2019!
Thank you to our Dolphin Ambassadors, Watchers, Crew, Guardians, Supporters & Partners for making this year a big success! Together we will make a difference to ensure the conservation and protection of dolphins, whales and our oceans.
In a nutshell, this is what we achieved in 2019:
- Continuing the long-term flagship research project in Moreton Bay, Queensland – a monumental project to establish the trends in abundance and health, and to understand the ecology and conservation priorities of coastal dolphins in the region.
- Expanding our more recent long-term flagship research project, Healthy Waterways-Healthy Dolphins, Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland. The project assesses the ongoing status and health of resident dolphin communities that rely on estuarine environments. It also engages members of Dolphin Research Australia and wider community in citizen-science.
- Relaunching monthly research surveys in Byron Bay to continue assessing population trends, ecology and conservation trends in that area.
- Assisting in the response to and assessment of incidences of injury, stranding and illness in dolphin and whale along the beaches of South-East Queensland and Northern New South Wales.
- Engaging and promoting stewardship of the environment through our Dolphin Watch citizen science and program and our Dolphin Ambassadors.
- Educating and engaging more community groups, schools and the public on marine conservation and issues.
- Collaborating with Gumma Indigenous Protected Area to deliver our Biocultural monitoring of marine megafauna training course to indigenous the rangers.
- Publishing high quality scientific and popular reports and publications including our very own CetusGeo Dolphin & Whale Emagazine.
- Establishing and strengthening partnerships with government agencies, researchers, businesses and industry that will assist in scientific surveys, delivery of educational information and promoting environmentally positive actions.
- Providing independent, expert advice to government agencies; this includes membership to the Australian Government Cetacean Roundtable for NGOs.
The incredible efforts of the Dolphin Research Australia team have resulted in the following cumulative achievements since 2012:
- > 2,615 field research hours by citizen science ambassador teams
- > 1,994 dolphins identified in South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales
- > 29 injured, stranded or deceased dolphins and whales assisted in the Northern New South Wales region
- > 5,520 social media followers
- > 346 members
- > 107 volunteers
- > 22 scientific publications
- > 2,127 people educated in our formal education programs and many more through our community engagement opportunities and presentations
- > 18 major events (festivals, fundraising and community beach clean-up events)
Read all about our 2019 in our Annual Report!
