Marine scientists in the making at Marmion Marine Park

September 2024

As part of DBCA’s Nearer to Nature program during the last school holidays, twenty teenagers joined scientists and rangers from DBCA’s Marine Science Program (including the North West Shelf Flatback Turtle Conservation Program) and the Parks and Wildlife Service Swan Coastal District in Marmion Marine Park to experience a day in the life of a marine scientist. 

Participants got hands-on by identifying and measuring the diversity of invertebrates (animals without backbones, such as starfish and snails) that live on the intertidal rock platforms at Iluka Beach. This was done by counting invertebrates within quadrats (squares of a set size) using a field guide and recording the data. 

The group also participated in a beach clean-up which left the beach looking spotless, collecting approximately 3kg worth of rubbish. The day finished with a discussion about pollution and species diversity, leaving the participants with a greater appreciation for our marine ecosystems, the threats they face and the work of DBCA’s marine scientists and rangers. 

To get involved with Nearer to Nature’s' school holiday events in the future, keep an eye on their website.