Declining numbers of dugongs in the wild has led to increased concern over their threats. Habitat loss, boating incidents and increased degradation of the environment are thought to be the main issues surrounding decreasing dugong numbers. SACF contributed to the following project which aimed to investigate more about dugong health.

 Dugong dugon - also known as lady of the sea or sea cow

Dugongs are marine mammals that feed on seagrass meadows and can be found throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Australia is lucky enough to be one of the few countries to have more than 100,000 of these unusual, yet magnificent creatures left in the wild. Moreton Bay in South-Eastern Queensland is home to 850 Dugongs, however in the previous 50 years there has been a 95% decline in this population.

Why do Dugongs need to visit the doctor too?

Dr Janet Lanyon from the University of Queensland (UQ) has teamed up with Sea World and received financial support from Sydney Aquarium Conservation Fund to begin a world first study on the health and reproductive status of a population of wild Dugongs in Queensland's Moreton Bay. This is the first time that wild Dugongs have been removed from water to undergo  a medical check-up.

The decline of these marine mammals in urban waters over the past century has prompted Dr Lanyon to investigate what comprises a healthy Dugong. The ever increasing urban sprawl that is apart of Australia's eastern coastline is a major threat to Dugong populations and their fragile declining seagrass habitats. Other threats to wild Dugongs include downing in nets and well as being struck by a boats propellor. It is thought that the health status of these Dugongs may reflect that of the environment.  Until recently, medical examinations and tagging of 1000 Dugongs by UQ was conducted in the water since 2001. The team from Sea World has enabled the removal of the Dugongs from water given their experience in marine mammal transportation.

What involves a medical check-up for a Dugong?

Thirty wild Dugongs were captured and tagged by the UQ  research team, Dr Lanyon and veterinarians in Moreton Bay over two weeks. The Dugongs are captured in a way similar to that of a calf in a rodeo ring, or like Steve Irwin and crocodiles. Game enthusiastic researchers leap from the vessel onto the back of a Dugong, hoping to grasp it around its peduncle region. Both females and males were caught as well as juveniles, sub-adults and adults. Sea World provided Research Vessel Sea World I as well as a specially designed stretcher and crane to remove the Dugongs from the water and onto the vessel.

The medical examination consists of

• an assessment of general body condition
• Heart and respiratory rates
• Body weight and temperature
• Body measurements
• Reproductive condition and hormone levels mainly from faeces
• Analysis of blood, faeces, urine, tears, mucus and skin
• Screening for zoonotic diseases, parasites and microbes
• Capture stress levels in wild Dugongs
• Trace element contaminants in tissues compared to the surrounding environment
• Skin scraping for genetic analysis and determination of pedigree lines
• Photographing each Dugong to record any distinguishing features
• Tagging as most Dugongs look similar to us Humans

Dr Lanyon and her research team at UQ hope their groundbraking research into Dugong health will help to not only build a data base of Dugong medical and genetic records but also assist in the managment of threats to Dugongs especially in urban waters.