Queensland dugongs 'starving to death'

From the Sydney Morning Herald (Aug 8): Queensland dugongs 'starving to death'
More dugongs have died this year than in all of 2010 because of Queensland's summer of disasters.

Ninety-six of the sea mammals washed up dead on the state's coastline in the first seven months of this year, compared with 79 for the whole of last year.

Environment Minister Vicky Darling says scientists believe most of the dugongs died of starvation after Queensland's floods devastated their main food source, seagrass.

Advertisement: Story continues below Floodwater had deposited a "triple whammy" of pesticides, sediment and fresh water on the seagrass, she said.

"Seagrass beds have become stressed by repeated periods of high turbidity and low salinity following flooding in the coastal catchments," Ms Darling said in a statement.

"This is a trend that tragically is highly likely to continue for the rest of the year."

Of the 96 dugongs, six died from human-induced causes such as boat strikes.

Scientists believe about 90 died from poor physical condition consistent with lack of food, Ms Darling said.

In their weakened condition the animals may also be more susceptible to boat strikes and getting tangled in nets, she said.

Most deaths happened around Townsville, in the state's north, and in Moreton Bay, in the south-east.

Ms Darling said she expected dugong deaths to increase this year, but scientists had told her the Queensland dugongs were not in danger of dying out.

"They advise us that marine habitats will recover fully over the next few years, leading to an increase in marine animal health and a decrease in stranding numbers - assuming a return to more normal seasonal conditions," she said.

"Our dugong population has been traditionally very resilient and there's no reason to believe they will not bounce back."

Ms Darling said the state government had already taken measures to protect marine animals.

These included cracking down on pesticide run-off in the Great Barrier Reef and run-off from drains, and go-slow and no-fishing zones in Moreton Bay.