Using vessels of opportunity for determining important habitats of bottlenose dolphins in Port Phillip Bay, south-eastern Australia.

ABSTRACT: Understanding species' critical habitat requirements is crucial for effective conservation and management. However, such information can be challenging to obtain, particularly for highly mobile, wide-ranging species such as cetaceans. In the absence of systematic surveys, alternative economically viable methods are needed, such as the use of data collected from platforms of opportunity, and modelling techniques to predict species distribution in un-surveyed areas. The present study used data collected by ecotourism and other vessels of opportunity to investigate important habitats of a small, poorly studied population of bottlenose dolphins in Port Phillip Bay, south-eastern Australia. Using 16 years of dolphin sighting location data, an ensemble habitat suitability model was built from wh

SUBMITTER: Ledwidge MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11531264 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature