Kimberley whale monitoring experience

December 2010

French postgraduate student Olivier Auge will never forget his three months’ field work monitoring whales in the Kimberley.

“I went there on behalf of the Western Australian Marine Science Institution and was amazed by the isolation and the number of Aboriginal people I met,” he said.

“I thought I’d be working in a laboratory with white coats and test tubes but it was hardly the case!

“I was expecting to be working in a team of people and was surprised to find myself as team leader.”

Instead he lived in a camper trailer at Pender Bay, near the whale nursery at Camden Sound, teaching volunteers how to monitor the whales’ behaviour.
 
“I’d also thought I’d be in a town at least and wasn’t expecting a bush camp! All the same, it was rewarding,” he said.

Pender Bay is an excellent location to watch whales because of the high cliffs and clear views across the ocean.

The data showed some interesting results which will be included in a scientific paper.

He said the number of calves in Pender Bay had doubled since last year, making the bay an important venue as a place where mothers took their calves.

He and his predecessor, Ian Dapson from Murdoch University, monitored the effect of fishing boats, tourist boats, leisure craft, cruisers, tankers, yachts and research vessels on the whales.

Other parts of the research covered the effect of spring (neap) tides on the behaviour.

Olivier is from Alsace and studied biology, with an interest in marine science and completing a Masters degree in applied biology and the environment.

“I wanted to discover something new but it was hard to find good work in marine biology in France,” he said.

His next field work will take him to monitor forest management in Canada.

Pictured: Ian Dapson (left) and Olivier Auge.