@techreport{fdi:010085550,
  title = {{S}cience en herbe : raising awareness about the importance of dugongs and their habitat in {N}ew {C}aledonia : final report},
  author = {{B}risset, {M}. and {D}erville, {S}. and {A}ndr{\'e}fou{\¨e}t, {S}erge and {C}leguer, {C}. and {B}uttin, {J}. and {G}arrigue, {C}laire},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he project {S}cience en herbe was funded by the {M}o{U} {D}ugong through a {S}mall-{S}cale {F}unding {A}greement, and developped to improve knowledge of seagrass meadow distribution and dugong foraging ecology in the southwest lagoon of {N}ew {C}aledonia, while promoting citizen science and raising awareness about the conservation status of these emblematic animals and their habitat. 




{N}ew {C}aledonia, a {F}rench overseas territory located in the south-western {P}acific {O}cean, ~1500 km east of {A}ustralia, is home to one of the largest population of dugongs in the world. {E}xtensive aerial surveys provided a general overview of its distribution, with the highest densities being observed on the west coast. {T}he population of dugongs in {N}ew {C}aledonia was estimated between 426 ± 134 and 717 ± 171 individuals between 2008 and 2012 ({C}leguer et al., 2017, {H}agihara et al., 2018). {M}oreover, satellite tracking has revealed a great heterogeneity of movements across individuals and identified multiple core areas of use ({C}leguer et al., 2020). {D}ugongs were found to use diverse habitats, from intertidal coastal seagrass meadows in lagoons, to the oceanic deeper waters outside the barrier reef.














{B}ased on a citizen science approach, this project aimed to 1) enhance the evidence base for local conservation of seagrass and dugongs in the southwest lagoon of {N}ew {C}aledonia, and 2) help raise awareness on the ecosystemic value of seagrass meadows and currents threats to dugongs in {N}ew {C}aledonia, by specifically targeting the younger members of urban communities in {N}oum{\'e}a. {T}he project included five phases that took place from {J}anuary to {M}ay 2022 : outreach and launch of the participatory research activities ; participatory seagrass meadows photo collection ; scientific seagrass meadows mapping and dugong diet analyses; raising awarness among youth community, and a finale photo exhibition.},
  keywords = {{MAMMIFERE} {MARIN} ; {ESPECE} {MENACEE} ; {HERBIVORE} ; {CONSERVATION} {DE} {LA} {NATURE} ; {SYNECOLOGIE} ; {HABITAT} ; {ALIMENTATION} {ANIMALE} ; {SURVEILLANCE} ; {DONNEES} {SATELLITE} ; {ANIMATION} ; {PRAIRIE} {SOUS} {MARINE} ; {DEVELOPPEMENT} {DURABLE} ; {SCIENCE} {CITOYENNE} ; {NOUVELLE} {CALEDONIE}},
  address = {{N}oum{\'e}a},
  publisher = {{IRD}},
  series = {},
  pages = {26},
  year = {2022},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010085550},
}