If you are boating in Moreton Bay and happen to see what appears like a man pointing a rifle at dolphins, don't panic, it's all in the name of research.
Dr Guido Parra, from The University of Queensland's School of Veterinary Science, is running a study to collect small skin samples from two types of dolphins in the Bay.
"Moreton Bay supports significant populations of the rare humpback dolphin and the more common bottlenose dolphin," Dr Parra said.
"The sampling represents no harm to local dolphins and will provide a wealth of information important for their conservation and management.
"Rapid urban growth and development in this region threatens the long term-survival of humpback and bottlenose dolphins in Moreton Bay and ecological studies are of great importance in guiding their conservation and management."
Dr Parra said skin samples are obtained by firing a dart from a modified rifle, which is designed so that on impact with the animal the dart bounces off the dolphin while retaining a small sample of skin tissue. Darts are buoyant and can be retrieved afterwards by researchers.
"This technique is the safest, most straightforward, cost-effective, and commonly used method of obtaining skin samples from live dolphins," he said.
"The skin samples taken with the darts are very small and do not cause any harm to the animals. Darts are sterilized eliminating any possibility of infections to the dolphins.
"DNA extracted from these skin samples can then be used to determine the sex of the animals sampled, their social relationships, the genetic variability found in the population and their dispersal patterns."
Dr Parra said ongoing sampling in other areas along the Queensland coast will also allow researchers to determine the amount of genetic interchange that is occurring among populations of humpback and bottlenose dolphins in Queensland waters.
This information will allow the definition of relevant conservation units and improve current management of humpback and bottlenose dolphins in Queensland.
He said the project has been approved by Queensland Parks & Wildlife and UQ's animal ethics committee, and was one of the many efforts and long-term commitments to whale and dolphin research by UQ's Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, headed by Dr Michael Noad.
Media inquiries: Dr Guido Parra (07 3365 3066) or Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (07 3365 2802 or 0433 364 181).
