Chandra Salgado Kent, Chris Burton, Marnie Giroud and Brodie Elsdon (2023). Photo matching identifies important Southern Right Whale aggregation areas in Geographe Bay and Flinders Bay in WA. National Environmental Science Program.
Overview
This graphic communicates the findings of hub Project 1.22. This project provided evidence to support the determination of two new Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) for Southern Right Whales in Geographe Bay and Flinders Bay. Southern Right Whale images taken in 1994–2021 in the Ngari Capes Marine Park were processed, matched and uploaded to the Australasian Right Whale Photo-Identification Catalogue. Data was collected by scientists, citizen scientists, and whale watching charter operators. The combined historical record identified up to 15 calving females in both Geographe Bay and Flinders Bay. Both bays therefore qualify to be categorised as ‘a small established aggregation area’ for Southern Right Whales, according to BIA definitions outlined in the Southern Right Whale Conservation Management Plan.
