Research Project
Researchers: Russell Bradford (Principal investigator, Principal or Chief Investigator) , Toby Patterson (Co-investigator or Collaborator)
Full description In 2018, CSIRO provided the first estimate of adult abundance for the southern-western Australian white shark (_Carcharodon carcharias_) population. At the time, total population abundance could not be estimated because of limited information on the juvenile life-history stage. This project investigated whether juvenile white sharks from this population use near-shore habitats near the head of the Great Australian Bight. It investigated credible anecdotal evidence of juvenile white shark presence in the region and was designed as a pilot study to inform future survey and project development. The project reviewed existing sources of evidence and undertook unmanned aerial vehicle (AUV) surveys in near-shore habitats within and around the Nuyts Archipelago Marine Park. Thirty-five UAV flights were completed during 2018 and 2019, covering approximately 7.5 km². No white sharks were identified in the UAV footage, although several other marine species and shorebirds were observed. Additional evidence from scientific surveys indicated that the Head of Bight and surrounding marine park areas may be important habitat for white sharks across multiple life stages. The project included engagement with the Yalata Land Management Indigenous Ranger team, who were consulted during project planning and survey activities. The findings informed future project development by assessing the value of further on-water activities, expanded UAV surveys and targeted monitoring in the Great Australian Bight region.
