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Apollo Marine Park Seabird Monitoring Project

Projects • Birds

Summary

Seabirds are among the fastest-declining bird groups worldwide, and southern Australia is no exception. The Apollo Marine Park off the Otway coast provides crucial habitat for at least 14 threatened offshore seabird species, including several albatrosses, petrels, and terns. Despite this significance, there is currently no monitoring program in place for seabirds in the Otways.

This project will establish the first long-term monitoring framework for threatened seabirds in the Apollo Marine Park. By combining cutting-edge survey methods with strong community involvement, it aims to fill critical knowledge gaps, raise awareness, and inform conservation management to halt seabird declines.

 

Project Strategy

  • Community training: Deliver a 10-week specialist bird course, enabling over 60 local volunteers to contribute to surveys and monitoring.

  • Shipboard surveys: Systematic offshore transects across the Apollo Marine Park, recording seabird abundance and distribution using tablet-based applications.

  • On-land surveys: Construction of a purpose-built seabird shelter at Cape Otway, providing a vantage point for land-based monitoring during rough weather conditions.

  • Data collection & analysis: Record population density, presence/absence, and habitat use of threatened seabirds to inform action statements and recovery planning.

  • Awareness & engagement: Strengthen community understanding of seabirds, the value of marine parks, and the importance of long-term monitoring.


Partners

  • Threatened Species Conservancy (TSC) – Project leadership and survey coordination

  • BirdLife Australia – Technical expertise and data integration

  • Parks Victoria, Colac Otway Shire, Conservation Ecology Centre – Land management and support


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Conservation Status

Seabird species dependent on the Apollo Marine Park include:

  • Grey-headed Albatross – Endangered (EPBC, FFG)

  • Shy Albatross – Endangered (EPBC, FFG)

  • Wandering Albatross – Critically Endangered (FFG), Vulnerable (EPBC)

  • Light-mantled and Sooty Albatrosses – Critically Endangered (FFG), Vulnerable (EPBC)

  • Southern Giant-petrel – Endangered (EPBC, FFG)

  • Buller’s Albatross – Vulnerable (EPBC), Endangered

 

Costs

  • Estimated Cost: $150,000 (multi-year monitoring and infrastructure)

  • Duration: Multi-year, with long-term community monitoring embedded



 

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Abi Smith

Abi Smith is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Threatened Species Conservancy (TSC). A highly respected fauna ecologist, Abi brings over 20 years of experience in threatened species recovery, wildlife management, and habitat restoration.