Australian Sea Lions

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about SARDI's important research into Australian sea lions?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:02): I thank the honourable member for her question. I often have the pleasure of outlining and highlighting the work of the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) that so often puts South Australia on the map in terms of our research and science capabilities, and I am very pleased to do so once again today.

No doubt some in this chamber have seen recent media about SARDI's work tracking Australian sea lions, with the story being picked up by multiple outlets locally and around the world. Australian sea lions are an endangered species, with a decline of more than 60 per cent over the past 40 years.

The study, which was contributed to by SARDI principal research scientist, Professor Simon Goldsworthy, and PhD student Nathan Angelakis, along with other SARDI researchers and colleagues from the University of Adelaide and the Department for Environment and Water, tracked eight Australian sea lions carrying underwater video cameras, and the footage collected is not only incredible but highly valuable in capturing sections of the ocean floor that have never been seen around Kangaroo Island and Olive Island. Around 90 hours of footage was captured, covering 560 kilometres of sea floor up to around 110 metres depth, enabling researchers to obtain new information on sea lion habitats and foraging strategies, as well as mapping 5,000 square kilometres of seafloor habitat.

The sea lions that were part of the project were approached by researchers while on land, and administered a light sedative. Researchers then attached patches of synthetic wetsuit material with a small camera and tracking device on the sea lions' backs. The same method was used to remove the cameras after the sea lions returned to shore following their foraging trips a couple of days later. Animal welfare was, of course, the first and foremost consideration throughout the process.

The footage captured some incredible images showing the diverse habitats the sea lions forage across, as well as their prey captures, which included fish, small sharks, stingrays and octopus and even showed a mother taking her pup on a foraging trip, showing how sea lion mothers pass on their skills to their pups.

I am advised that Australian sea lions are charismatic animals that are much loved by many South Australians and, after this research, that love may well be shared across the globe with the research getting media attention from The New York Times, The Washington Post, the BBC and The Guardian to name a few, with The Guardian even making a First Dog on the Moon cartoon from the story.

No doubt the impacts of this research will continue to inform knowledge about sea lions and importantly our knowledge of what lies on the ocean floor. I congratulate all involved in the project across DEW, SARDI, and the University of Adelaide and, in particular, Professor Simon Goldsworthy and Nathan Angelakis.