Rangers head to Abu Dhabi

The Kimberley Land Council Bardi Jawi Rangers travelled to the United Arab Emirates in April to share their expertise in dugong tagging techniques with rangers in Abu Dhabi.

The 11-day knowledge-exchange was organised by Charles Darwin University, the KLC and the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency Department.

Bardi Jawi head ranger Philip McCarthy said he was proud that his ranger group, from One Arm Point, had been recognised for its expertise in dugong tagging and research.

“It was just an amazing experience for us to come from a remote little area in the Kimberley and to go assist and train these people in this quite big, different area, with a totally different culture, in the Persian Gulf,’’ he said.

“We never thought that we’d have the opportunity to tag somewhere else since the ranger program started, so it was quite an eye-opener and an amazing trip.”

Mr McCarthy said the Bardi Jawi Rangers were singled out to assist Abu Dhabi rangers capture dugong and tag them with satellite trackers so as to better understand their migration patterns and the distances they travel.

“We caught three dugong ourselves, and successfully trained a local ranger who caught and tagged a dugong himself on the last day.” He said.

Mr George, who is highly-skilled in capturing dugong in a safe way that limits impacts on the animal, said he uses a spotter plane to help him locate the endangered species. “It’s a good feeling when you successfully tag a dugong. And it’s fun.

It’s one of the things rangers love to do,’’ he said.

The Bardi Jawi Rangers have been tagging dugong in waters around Bardi Jawi Country since 2006, as part of a program with Richard Campbell and Dave Holly from Edith Cowan University, the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation and the Kimberley Land Council.