Marine mammals, back from the brink? Contemporary conservation issues

Robert Harcourt, Helene Marsh, David Slip, Louise Chilvers, Mike Noad, Rebecca Dunlop

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    5 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The extensive territorial waters of Australia and New Zealands (NZ) (over 8 million km2 for Australia and a further 4 million km2 for NZ) are home to approximately 49 species of whales and dolphins, 11 species of seals and the dugong. Within Australia, at least eight species are listed as threatened, though there is insufficient information on a further 25 to determine their conservation status, while in NZ eight species are listed as threatened. The relationship between humans and Australasia’s marine mammals is culturally diverse and has changed significantly in recent years. Dugongs and stranded whales have been important both spiritually and as a source of nutrition to some Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders for thousands of years; seals and whales had a similar role for Maori in NZ. In recent history, exploitation of baleen whales, elephant seals and fur seals was an important driver for much of the earliest European settlement of Australasia. The success of the whaling and sealing industries came at the expense of marine mammal populations, leading to the near extirpation of many species by the mid twentieth century. In more recent decades there has been a fundamental shift in public attitudes towards marine mammals, in particular the great whales and dolphins. All marine mammals are protected within Australia and NZ waters. Traditional hunting of dugongs is legal in Australia for Native Title holders.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationAustral Ark
    Subtitle of host publicationthe state of wildlife in Australia and New Zealand
    EditorsAdam Stow, Norman Maclean, Gregory I. Holwell
    Place of PublicationCambridge
    PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP)
    Pages322-353
    Number of pages32
    ISBN (Electronic)9781139519960
    ISBN (Print)9781107033542
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

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