Each year we catch several dugongs in urban Moreton Bay to assess their health and reproductive status. Sea World Australia generously supports this research by making available their boat R.V. Sea World One as a research platform, and also their expertise in transporting and handling large marine mammals out-of-water. Regular health assessment is a valuable tool for keeping track of the health of individual dugongs, but also health of their habitat and population as a whole.

During health assessments, dugongs are lifted clear of the water so that we can collect samples that are difficult to collect in water. We sample blood to look at haematology, blood biochemistry and immune factors as well as screen for disease. Urine and faecal samples are cultured for microbes and screened for parasites and zoonotic disease. Each of these samples are also analysed for reproductive hormones, and adult female dugongs have an ultrasound to check for pregnancy.

As well as collecting samples, comprehensive medical examinations are conducted to assess the overall body condition of the dugongs. We also monitor the dugong's vital signs (temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate) whilst they are out of the water, to check for any unusual physiological response.

A wild dugong positioned on the back deck of R.V. Sea World One for out-of-water sampling	Dousing head of dugong to stimulate breathing

Blood sampling from medial surface of left pectoral fin of an adult female dugong. Note the large axillar teat	Dugong with oral temperature probe in left buccal (mouth) cavity, and doppler heart detector deployed under sternum to measure resting heart rate.