Southwest Whale Ecology Study

The Southwest Whale Ecology Study (SouWEST) is a collaborative science program established over a decade ago which integrates the research expertise of Western Whale Research (WWR), Oceans Blueprint, and the community outreach and education experience of Eco Gecko Environment and Design.

SouWEST aims to:

• Ensure the long-term conservation of whales and their critical habitats in southwestern Australia.

• Improve the scientific foundation for environmental management and species protection in the region.

• Build on scientific and community observations made during the past 15 years, by applying innovative science approaches and advanced statistical modelling methods.

• Provide education on whale biology to the community.

SouWEST combines science and community to build our understanding of abundance, site fidelity and critical habitats for whales in southwestern Australia.

A recent project by SouWEST partners (Western Whale Research, Eco Gecko Environment and Design) and Edith Cowan University, and contributed by Curtin Uni as well as Naturalise Charters, and SouWEST’s amazing volunteers resulted in the recommendation of Geographe Bay to be recognised by the Commonwealth Government as a ”Biologically Important Area” for southern right whale reproduction, resting and migration”. This work has directly informed the draft National Recovery Plan for the Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) which is now available for public comment at https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/recovery-plans/comment/draft-recovery-plan-southern-right-whale-2023, with consultation concluding on Friday 21 April 2023.This work was funded by the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) as part of the Marine and Coastal Hub (https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/),

Read more about this project on our southern right whale page.