Aerial Survey Results from Our Partners

Nairobi, 22 October 2017 –The team behind Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association’s (WIOMSA) project, Dugongs of the Western Indian Ocean Region – identify, distribution, status threats and management, have recently shared the results from their second aerial survey over Kenya. The survey began in March 2017 and has largely been undertaken by the Kenya Wildlife Service. Sightings during the survey period have included both dugongs and dolphins. 

A vlog update of the surveys so far, can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzpV2x8yKFH6WVlJNUszWDU0SFU/view?usp=sharing.

The USD 767,744 project (including co-financing) is a partnership between Associação para a Conservação e Protecção dos Dugongos e Especies de Mamiferos marinhos (Dugongos.org), Seychelles Islands Foundation, Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenta Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, SEASENSE, Institute of Marine Sciences Zanzibar, Eduardo Mondlane University, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University South Africa and the University of Cape Peninsula.

Aerial surveys of Tanzania and Mozambique are expected to take place before the end of the project, as well as the deployment of questionnaires and acoustic loggers.

The project will contribute to the sub-regional assessment of the conservation status of dugongs in the Southwest Indian Ocean. The information obtained from the project will include population genetics, dugong population distribution, size and trends, seagrass distribution, and anthropogenic impacts and pressures. The project aligns closely with the Conservation and Management Plan of the Dugong MOU and the Secretariat is looking forward to seeing the results from this project. Keep up the good work! 

 

 

Last updated on 08 November 2017