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Cetacean and Marine Wildlife Research

This area of research is an important and vibrant activity in the Centre, encompassing research on dolphins, dugongs and whales by the Cetacean Research Unit, research on sawfish and whale sharks in northern Australia by the Freshwater Research Unit and research on seabirds such as little penguins, terns and noddies.

Cetaceans

The Murdoch University Cetacean Research Unit (MUCRU) was established in 2006, and developed by Associate Professor Lars Bejder following his appointment as a Research Leadership Fellow at Murdoch University. MUCRU has since grown into one of the leading groups for marine mammal research in Australia, and collaborates on projects throughout Australia, the Indo-Pacific and the US.  Initially, research focussed on the dolphins of south-western Australia but now includes dolphin and dugong populations in the north-western Australia.

Sawfish and whale sharks

For over a decade Murdoch researchers, led by Dr David Morgan, have been working with people of the Kimberley to protect the unique fishes of the region, including the Freshwater Sawfish. Details of this research and other interesting facts on sawfish can be found at the team sawfish web site.  Details of whale shark research, led by Brad Norman, are on the ECOCEAN web site.

Seabirds

Currently, research on seabirds is carried out by Dr Nick Dunlop (terns and noddies) and Dr Belinda Cannell (little penguins).  This research has built up long-term data bases for some species that provide a basis for examining the influence of climate change on seabird populations and the marine food webs that support them.