National Parks and Wildlife Service asks for help to save endangered Australian sea lions

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is encouraging budding South Australian citizen scientists to help them save endangered Australian sea lions by logging into the Sea lion Spotter portal over the next two weeks as part of a data blitz.

Sadly, in December 2020, the Australian sea lion went from vulnerable to endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The Sea lion Spotter portal is an online depository of drone images used to count sea lion populations living on the remote South Australian west coast.

Anyone with internet access can help NPWS staff and research scientists to remotely count populations of adult and pup Australian sea lions.

The NPWS today held a Sea lion Spotter session with school students from Endeavour College at Adelaide Zoo where they had the opportunity to register as citizen scientists and learn more about this endangered species.

The Sea lion Spotter app was developed to provide an easy way for anyone with an interest in sea lions and marine life to contribute to the recovery of the endangered species.

Researchers have been monitoring the South Australian west coast colony since 1999. While pup numbers peaked in the early 2000s with over 600 pups, numbers have since almost halved.

SA Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Dr Susan Close noted that ensuring the survival of South Australia’s threatened species is a key priority for the newly elected South Australian Government.  

The rapid decline is consistent across the species’ range and can be attributed to a multitude of human induced threats and stressors.

Actions like giving sea lions and marine mammals the space they need when we see them in the wild, not letting rubbish enter storm water drains and using less plastic can help to improve the odds of sea lion survival.

Marine Park Ranger Dirk Holman, National Parks and Wildlife Service advises “we’ve still got a long way to go to ensure sea lions survive so our children’s grandchildren can see them still in the wild.

“The most important question we have to answer each year is how is their population trending?

 “Are we getting good numbers of new sea lion pups making it through to be become healthy young juveniles and ultimately mature, breeding adults, or are certain colonies having problems?

 “By using the Sea lion Spotter, the public can help count and identify different age class sea lions from more than 1500 photos taken using our research drone.”

Dr Phil Ainsley, Director of Adelaide Zoo added “Zoos SA’s purpose is to connect people with nature and help to save species from extinction.

“Visiting Ady and Tasko at Adelaide Zoo is a great starting point for connecting people with nature.

“After visiting Zoos SA, we want our visitors to continue their conservation journey, that’s why the Sea Lion Spotter is such a great initiative.

“Taking part in a citizen science project is everyone’s chance to do something good for the future of the species and our planet.”

For more information and to sign up a spotter, visit www.sealionspotter.com

Images: Sea Lion Spotter event attended by Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Dr Susan Close , Dirk Holman and children from Endeavour College, Mawson Lakes