Coast to Coral: Leopard Sharks

Join Reef Check Australia and friends on the second Tuesday night of each month in your lounge room/office/comfy chair, for an evening of discovery, inspiration and appreciation of our local marine, coastal and catchment environments.

THE SPEAKER:
Chris (Dr Christine Dudgeon) is a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland and University of the Sunshine Coast.  She is fascinated by the origins and maintenance of biodiversity and explores these ideas across a range of species, with a particular soft spot for sharks and their relatives.  Her work spans pure research (she is self-confessed nerd) to applied research, such as identifying new species and taxonomic groups, and population structure for fisheries and conservation management.  Her PhD was focused on the ecology of leopard sharks, and she has worked with this species over the last 18 years.  She joined Project Manta 7 years ago as a project manager and over the last few years has been the project lead for the Biodiversity of Lady Elliot Island Leaf to Reef project. 
ABOUT THE TALK:

Over the summer and autumn months every year you will see regular visitors to the dive sites on the subtropical east coast of Australia.  In particular, between Manta Bommie of Moolomba, Minjerribah (Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island) to Nguthungulli (Julian Rocks) in Byron Bay, you can dive with a most unusual shark known by several names.  We call them leopard sharks, but they are also called zebra sharks (mostly by people who don’t see them in the wild or work in aquaria).  What you may not be aware of is that this is truly the only place in the world where you will get to be in the water with dozens of these animals at one time.  This is a rare species, but is also heavily fished in many parts of its range. 

In this talk Chris will introduce you to this most fantastic and somewhat unusual species, take you through some of the research that she has been doing with them here in eastern Australia over the last 18 years, and showcase a new and exciting international conservation initiative.

Virtual doors (zoom) opens at 6.25pm for a 6:30 pm start.

Stay after the event for networking and nibbles (BYO obviously!) - get your burning questions answered and continue your thoughts, ideas and sea-minded discussions with your local community, all from the comfort of your couch!

Bring a mate and share in the discovery!

At Reef Check Australia we’re all about inspiring our mates and we love to read your thoughts! So, share your favourite parts about the night and tag us! Reef Check Australia #coasttocoral

This initiative is hosted by Reef Check Australia, and proudly supported by oh so many groups including the City of Gold Coast, Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd, Sunshine Coast Council's Environment Levy partnerships grant, and Townsville City Council.

Future talks take place on the second Tuesday night of each month, with a new, interesting and engaging speaker.

For more information contact seqsurveys@reefcheckaustralia.org

WHEN
August 09, 2022 at 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Will you come?