Page 29 - Port Douglas Magazine 42

Australian Pelican

REMARKABLE WOMEN IN AUSTRALIAN
CORAL REEF SCIENCE
Did you know that the Great Barrier Reef’s scientific
understanding owes much to remarkable women?
The 1928-29 Great Barrier Reef Expedition was
groundbreaking for including a significant number of women
in its research team, catalysing greater participation of women
in scientific research across Australia. Six of the 18 scientists
who took part were women and their contributions continue to
inspire marine biologists today.
Among these trailblazers was Sidnie Manton, a 26-year-old
from Cambridge University, who meticulously counted and
measured coral colonies, revealing key insights into their
zonation patterns.
She also collaborated with peers to create detailed maps of reef
habitats, producing the first comprehensive section of a reef
edge. This extensive cartographic record serves as a valuable
baseline for scientists to assess changes in the reef’s topography
and ecological communities over the past 90 years.

Resident Osprey

“Birdlife around Low Isles is equally
vibrant, with kingfishers, Australian
pelicans, varied honeyeaters, and
migratory visitors like Bridled terns,
Ruddy turnstones, and Pied Imperial
pigeons gracing the skies. Among these
feathered residents, ospreys have a
particular fondness for the historic
lighthouse on Low Island, where they
have built their nests over many years.”

Baby Black Tipped Reef Sharks

MONITORING PIGEONS
Monitoring Pied Imperial Pigeons (PIPs) at Low Isles
has been part of a long-term conservation initiative since
1994.
As summer migrants to northern Australia, PIPs nest on
many islands in the Great Barrier Reef. However, their
numbers plummeted due to illegal shooting and the loss
of mainland feeding grounds, with significant declines
occurring until large-scale hunting was halted in 1968.
This LIPS volunteer program tracks local PIP populations
every month from September to March and has revealed
a steady increase in local PIP populations. An estimated
20,000 to 25,000 PIPs now breed at Low Isles, nesting
in the mangroves on Woody Island and feeding in the
mainland rainforests.