Status of Dugong Dugong dugon and Australian Snubfin Dolphin Orcaella heinsohni, in the Solomon Islands

Abstract

Dugong Dugong dugon are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are thought to be in global decline. The species has become extirpated from many areas in its range in the Indo-Pacific, and the largest remaining population is believed to occur in the coastal waters of northern Australia and Melanesia. This study is the first survey done to assess the current status of dugongs in the Solomon Islands, an archipelago potentially providing extensive dugong habitat within the many coastal lagoons and seagrass meadows. In a region where traditional hunting of dugong is carried out, in addition to the increasing threats to its coastal habitat, the survival of the dugong is uncertain. Interview surveys were conducted to assess abundance, distribution, level of traditional hunting and mortality, and community attitude towards conservation of the species. The surveys provide a provisional insight into the dugong population and mortality in the Solomon Islands. The surveys also obtained sighting data for the Australian Snubfin Dolphin Orcaella heinsohni, a species endemic to Australia and Melanesia, but for which little occurrence information is available. The results indicate that dugong occur throughout the Solomon Islands, but rates of anthropogenic mortality are of concern, emphasising the potential value of protected areas and community engagement projects for the conservation of dugongs in this region.