Poster Presentation 2024 Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting combined with NZMSS

Quantifying the Conservation Value of Wolf Rock to Mobile Marine Megafauna. (#700)

Jarrod L Cameron 1 , Simon J Pierce 1 , Christine L Dudgeon 1 2 , Ross G Dwyer 1
  1. School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
  2. School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Identifying critical habitats underpins conservation of mobile marine megafauna. However, for many species knowledge of movements, aggregations and purpose at specific sites is undetermined. Wolf Rock, Australia (153°11.800’ E, 25°54.630’ S) is a site frequented by several species listed on the IUCN Red List under threatened categories (Critically Endangered, CR; Endangered, EN; and Vulnerable, VU). Specifically, Wolf Rock: (1) is the the only known gestation site for east Australian grey nurse sharks (Carcharias taurus; CR); (2) seasonally hosts reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi; VU), leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum; EN), and large aggregations of ocellated eagle rays (Aetobatus ocellatus; VU); (3) is an aggregation  site for the Queensland grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus; VU); and (4) has recorded occasional sightings of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus; EN), ornate eagle rays (Aetomylaeus vespertilio; EN), and bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostoma; CR). With the exception of C. taurus, very little is known about to what extent these enigmatic species use Wolf Rock. Here we use a multimedia dataset collected over several years by the local dive operator and staff to investigate seasonality in the occurrence and relative abundance and unique behavioural displays of these threatened megafauna at Wolf Rock.