The Dugong Connections project is about fortifying and expanding connections between western dugong researchers and Traditional Owners across the Great Barrier Reef. Through this initiative, Ngaro Traditional Owners, and researchers form JCU and QDETSI came together for the first time to plan and execute a collaborative pilot field study.
Dugongs are a culturally significant species to many Traditional Owner groups in the region. The Whitsundays region is ecologically significant as well, representing a genetic break point between two distinct dugong populations, north and south. The reason for the stark genetic divide is unknown. Ngaro brought knowledge of Country and its history, and aspirations for enhanced stewardship while JCU and QDETSI provided operational and technical support. Both sides shared a desire for knowledge exchange, and the goal to increase knowledge about dugong and turtle populations.
In October 2025, the team learned about Country through a scientific lense, using drones to find and identify groups of dugongs and green turtles in coastal seagrass habitats in Pioneer Bay and Repulse Bay. We collected drop camera footage across the seagrass meadows to map them and determine community composition. We collected faecal samples from dugong and turtle to elucidate their diets, and skin samples from dugongs to sequence their DNA and fill in gaps in their genetic map. We deployed two satellite tags on foraging green turtles, providing insight into site fidelity, habitat use and connectivity to distant foraging grounds. This multi-pronged approach has provided the first snapshot of foraging ecology and megafauna-habitat relationships in this area, informed by traditional knowledge.