Raine Island is the most biologically significant island on the Great Barrier Reef, if not all of Australia. It is home to the largest sea bird nesting populations on the Great Barrier Reef, the largest Green Sea turtle nesting site in the world and also a large concentration of Tiger sharks.
Adaptive Management
Ongoing adaptive management projects to increase turtle nesting and hatchling success. Biopixel Research documents all activities including natural history on the latest camera systems.
3D Mapping
3D mapping and monitoring of changes to the island through the use of drones. Images are also used to determine turtle, bird and tiger shark numbers.
Technical Support
Ongoing technical support for monitoring equipment and also participating in turtle and seabird research.
Ecosystem
Studying the ecology of tiger sharks and the importance of their role as the apex predator in the fragile Raine Island ecosystem.
PUBLICATIONS
Hammerschlag N, Bell I, Fitzpatrick R, Gallagher AJ, Hawkes LA, Meekan MG, Stevens JD, Thums M, Witt MJ, Barnett A (2016) Behavioural evidence suggests facultative scavenging by a marine apex predator during a food pulse. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology
Fitzpatrick R, Thums M, Bell I, Meekan MG, Stevens JD, Barnett A (2012). A comparison of the seasonal movements of tiger sharks and green turtles provides insight into their predator-prey relationship. PLOS ONE 7:e51927