Project background
The endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) has declined by more than 60% over the past four decades. Its unique life history, benthic foraging behaviour, and remote breeding sites make monitoring especially difficult.
This project, funded through the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub, aims to improve monitoring methods and address critical knowledge gaps needed for effective conservation.
By combining drone surveys, demographic analyses, and underwater camera deployments, the project supports recovery efforts under the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan and contributes to Healthy Country and Sea Country management.
Objectives
- Conduct helicopter and static camera surveys in the Recherche Archipelago to assess breeding status and abundance.
- Trial and implement drone-based monitoring at key breeding and haul-out sites in SA and WA.
- Streamline analysis of long-term demographic data from the Seal Bay microchipped population.
- Deploy underwater cameras and tracking devices to identify and assess critical foraging habitats.
- Support First Nations engagement and capacity building through involvement in field research and technology-based monitoring.
Research approach
This project takes a multi-faceted, collaborative approach to improve the monitoring and management of the endangered Australian sea lion.
Researchers are conducting helicopter-supported ground surveys across the Recherche Archipelago (Western Australia) to update abundance and breeding data. At key breeding and haul-out sites, drone-based surveys are trialling advanced technologies—including photogrammetry, thermal imaging (FLIR), and LiDAR—to improve detection and counting methods.
At Seal Bay (South Australia), the long-term microchipping dataset is being streamlined to enable more frequent demographic analysis. Underwater cameras and tracking devices are also being deployed at accessible breeding sites to identify critical benthic habitats and examine foraging behaviour.
The project is co-designed and delivered with Indigenous partners, with hands-on training in drone and field survey techniques. This supports two-way knowledge exchange and strengthens both cultural and ecological understanding.
Together, these methods aim to develop accurate, scalable, and cost-effective tools to support conservation decision-making and recovery planning for this endangered species.
Expected outcomes
This project aims to significantly enhance understanding and management of the Australian sea lion by delivering high-quality, contemporary data on population status, life history, and critical habitats. Key expected outcomes include:
- Updated abundance estimates and breeding chronology for sea lion populations in the Recherche Archipelago, a crucial but under-studied region representing ~35% of WA breeding sites.
- Install static cameras to continuously record and transmit data for breeding status.
- Validated drone survey methods for monitoring sea lion abundance at remote breeding and haul-out sites. Trial photogrammetry, infra-red, thermal imaging and LiDAR to enhance survey accuracy.
- Streamlined demographic analysis from the long-term Seal Bay microchipping program, to support regular reporting of population vital rates and population modelling, aiding species recovery efforts and threat assessment.
- Increased understanding of foraging habitats and behaviours through underwater cameras, GPS and accelerometer tags to identify and map critical sea lion habitats, assess their ecological importance, and identify threats to populations. This will help to identify Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) for foraging sea lions.
- Integration of First Nations knowledge and leadership through co-designed project components, hands-on training in field methods, and strengthened sea-country connections with Indigenous partners co-delivering project components and gaining field experience with emerging monitoring technologies.
Collaborators
- University of Adelaide: Administers project
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions: Co-leads project
- Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation: Co-leads project
