THE DUGONGS OF ONE ARM POINT
THE KIMBERLY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Sylvia Annie Adam
In 1688 William Dampier recorded �manatee� where common in the One Arm Point in the far north of Western Australia, in the King Sound. Like other explorers he misidentified the dugong. Dampier also found the bones and the head of a �hippopotamus� with teeth up to 20cm found in the stomach of a shark. The teeth were probably dugong tusks (Marsh 1991). Presently the extent of the dugong in the region of the One Arm Point and Sunday Island is considered common according to the Aboriginal communities of the Kimberly�s.
Dugongs are found in tropical waters of approximately 43 countries in the Pacific and the Indian oceans. In Western Australia they are found in the Northern waters of Shark Bay around to the South East of Queensland. The Southern Archipelago Buccaneer comprises of two primary areas, King Sound and the Canning Coast. The coastline of the area varies from exposed beaches to more sheltered areas such as the King Sound which encompasses the Fitzroy River estuary and the Stokes Bay. The gulf is the receiving basin for the Fitzroy River. This region is macro-tidal with low wave energy. There are extensive tidal flats subject to extreme variations, high turbidity and tide fluctuations up to 24 klm through areas of the King Sound and the multiple islands in the region.
Water temperature and salinity�s in the upper areas of the tidal zones can reach 32�C respectively. During the wet season, salinity is greatly reduced due to the fresh water discharge from the various river systems. However Roebuck bay, Broome is an inshore habituate and exposed to human disturbances. Dugong feeding trails are common in the bay and the area is covered by water for a portion of the day. They would risk stranding if feeding on a fallen tide and according to the local indigenous communities the dugong eats against the tide and as they are bottom feeders principally depend on tropical and sub-tropical sea grasses. These tropical sea grasses are relatively numerous around the Northern Islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago, however these do not form extensive beds along the coast where the strong currents and large tidal flows are predominant. Interactions within sea grass communities and associated ecosystems such as Mangroves and coral reefs are complex. They are essential in maintaining the integrity and productivity of sea grass assemblages.
This rich dynamic food chain sustains resident such as turtles, dugong and other migratory mammals. It is a known fact that dugongs primary consume mixed seagrasses such as Halophila ovalis. This species is a soft leafed sea grass is found abundantly in the Buccaneer Archipelago, Roebuck Bay in Broome, and along the Kimberly coastline and in particular from Broome to Sunday Island sea grasses are in abundance. There is little information available on sea grass productivity in the Broome and King Sound regions and the different sea grass species.
The Indigenous communities of the Kimberly�s have used the meat of the dugong before European settlement of Australia. Their relationship with the dugong has a spiritual and social importance. However debatable is whether or not aboriginal hunting practices have effected the population of dugong despite the use of western technology. Hunting of the dugong by Aboriginal communities, who live in One Arm Point, is carried out with traditional methods and maintained at a low level.
Western Australia is unique at present in relation to the dugong. There is no commercial exploitation by the indigenous communities in contrast to other parts of Australia and PNG. The levels of hunting by aboriginal communities in the Kimberly region are stable despite the intrusion of modern technology being the outboard motor. On the East Coast of Queensland hunting permits restrict the number of dugong killed for meat, as it is known to have detrimental effects on the population.
Nevertheless the most effective form of education is often what comes from the community and where there is a clear indication that a dilemma exists about the dugong. At this stage the solution is a dugong sanctuary which is supported by the local aboriginal community and would be co-managed. This sanctuary could be used for tourists to view the dugong similar to the one proposed for Hinchinbrook in Queensland with formal involvement of the Aboriginal communities of Broome.
