Marine Life Research
Empowering Environmental Stewardship: Our Commitment to Conservation and Science
Naturaliste Charters aims to ensure our tours and expeditions make a positive contribution to the environment that underpins everything we do.
As an innovator in the industry we support projects, collaborations and also facilitate research onboard. This can be by having active researchers onboard or by collecting the data ourselves and passing onto institutions and organisations. As a result, when you are onboard you are among the first to hear about new revelations and scientific findings in the marine world.
We thrive on having guests get involved in citizen science. A number of programs are highlighted below. With the goal of striving to contribute to research and support long term conservation efforts, we find having experienced and knowledgeable crew onboard who allow guests to get involved bridges the communication gap between science and the public.
Key highlights:
- Citizen Science Programs
- Geographe Marine Research (GMR)
- eBird Australia
- HappyWhale
- iNaturalist
- Bremer Bay Killer Whale Expeditions
- Collaborations
- Internships
We pioneered the Bremer Bay Killer Whale Expeditions
With a variety of different seasons comes the different data collection. Dunsborough, Busselton and Augusta are well established and the research here is very specific. We pioneered the Bremer Bay Killer Whale Expeditions only in 2015 so understandably there is alot to uncover from an untouched area.
Citizen Science Programs
Did you know you can help with marine research? This may be from submitting images and information, or by donating your time or funds to local researchers. Data collection in the marine environment is typically very expensive and time consuming which is why we contribute as much as possible while out on tour.
You as the passenger are effectively funding us to go out there and sample just by coming on tour. Why stop there? Continue to assist and who knows you might even see the same whale twice!
Geographe Marine Research (GMR)
A local team of experts in their fields, these researchers collect a wide range of data. Naturaliste Charters have been in collaboration with GMR for over a decade and among other projects will submit images daily to GMR, in particular, endangered Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales. You can get involved too. In turn, GMR provides our crew with the most recent findings and revelations which are passed onto our guests. More information here here.
eBird Australia
Did you see a special bird while out on tour? eBird Australia uses our sightings to contribute to conservation decisions and peer-reviewed papers, student projects and helps inform bird research world-wide. Seabirds play an important role in ecosystem dynamics but can be very hard to study!
Naturaliste Charters works in collaboration with researchers who conduct annual and seasonal pelagic seabird surveys onboard our vessels. This collaboration has allowed our crew to partake in seabird studies and identification resulting in enhanced knowledge. This is passed onto our guests who obtain a comprehensive and holistic experience of all things living in the marine environment, rather than just whales. Making us an innovator in the EcoTourism industry..
More information here.
HappyWhale
Have fun learning about your whales while the data in your photos builds understanding. Happy Whale is an international whale database and is starting to make tracks here in Western Australia. They use new technology to process algorithms to match whale photos with scientific collections. This newly developed efficiency now makes global whale tracking more possible than ever! This is the next step if you are looking to enhance your whale watching experience! Make sure you log your encounter as onboard with us, Naturaliste Charters!
More information here.
iNaturalist:
Looking to explore and share your observations from the natural world with like-minded people? iNaturaliste shares your findings with scientific data repositories to help scientists find your data. All you have to do is observe!
More information here.
Research Initiatives in Bremer Bay
Welcome to the heart of discovery – Our Bremer Bay Killer Whale Expeditions, where the pursuit of discovery takes precedence in an area ripe with unexplored possibilities. Each expedition delves into the depths of this captivating area, unearthing valuable insights and encounters. Our dedication lies in preserving the integrity of this remote ecosystem, while forging partnerships with esteemed research institutions.
Bremer Bay Research on our Tours
Our Bremer Bay Killer Whale Expeditions epitomise exploration and discovery in an area rich with untapped potential. With each passing season, we uncover new dimensions of this captivating locale, offering fresh encounters and invaluable insights. Our daily data collection efforts throughout the season serve as a wellspring for novel discoveries, evolving parameters, and insights into the impacts of whale watching on this remote and pristine ecosystem.
Central to our mission is the assurance that our activities leave no detrimental footprint on the whales and dolphins we guide our guests to observe, appreciate, comprehend, and protect.
In collaboration with esteemed research institutions, our team ensures that every Bremer Canyon expedition includes a skilled photographer, a Marine Intern and Marine Biologist. This enables us to contribute to the collective knowledge of the Southern Ocean’s most emblematic species by supplying high-quality photographs and marine life data to national and international databases and research papers, enriching our understanding of these magnificent creatures.
Publications we have supported on: https://scholar.google.com/
Collaborations
Naturaliste Charters encourage a variety of collaborations to take place while in Bremer Bay. These are broad, ranging in partners from governmental and independent studies and in size. Such as large scale Climate Change studies with institutes such as the University of Western Australia, Schmidt Oceans Institute and IMOS. Right down to the small scale awareness projects such as Wild Orca. Somewhere in the middle lies photo-identification with local organisations such as Project Orca and Geographe Marine Research among international academics too.
There is never a dull moment here in Bremer Bay! If you would like to find out more about our research and film collaborations, or to enquire about conducting research on board our vessel or in partnership please contact us.
Internships
Our Bremer Bay Internship offers students a unique opportunity to contribute to scientific research over a two-week period. Gain valuable skills while supporting marine science. Learn more at: naturalistecharters.com.au/conservation/ .
