Using eDNA to uncover the secret lives of dugong in Malaysia

Scientists are now using drones and eDNA to track the movements and behaviours of dugong in Malaysia.

Dugong (commonly known as sea cows), the gentle and slow-moving grazers of Southeast Asia’s seagrass meadows, are among the region’s most vulnerable marine mammals. Despite their incredible size, these shy mammals are surprisingly difficult to find in the wild. With seagrass habitats declining and coastal development increasing, researchers often struggle to understand where these dugongs still survive in Malaysia’s turbid and challenging coastal waters.

Marine ecologist Harris Wei-Khang Heng is attempting to fill this knowledge gap by leading an innovative new project, with support from the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund small grants programme. Working alongside partners from Universiti Malaya, the Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences, Kelab Alami, the University of Nottingham Malaysia, and the University of Queensland, the team is testing new, non-invasive ways to detect dugong in habitats where conventional monitoring methods are more limited.

Dugong are classified as vulnerable globally and endangered in Malaysia, yet little baseline information exists on how many remain or the travel corridors they use to get between seagrass meadows. Deep, low-visibility waters make them extremely difficult to spot, even from boats or aircraft! This really limits conservation planning and leaves many important habitats unidentified.

To overcome these challenges, the team combined drone surveys with environmental DNA (eDNA), which refers to tiny traces of genetic material that animals leave behind in the water. Across three field surveys, the researchers completed 114 aerial drone transects and collected 85 water samples, covering multiple seasons. A major breakthrough for the project was the successful detection of dugong using eDNA markers in natural conditions, which allowed the team to detect dugong even without visual confirmation!

These results made it possible to produce the first eDNA-based occupancy and detection estimates for dugong in Southeast Peninsular Malaysia, shining a new light on their secret lives. Alongside drone footage, the data will contribute to an updated dugong distribution map for the east coast of Johor and help guide the dugong and seagrass management plan in Johor, Malaysia.

Community involvement has also played an important role in this project. The team delivered school outreach programmes that reached more than 2,100 students through seven schools, helping young people learn about seagrass ecosystems and the marine megafauna that depend on them. To reach an even wider audience, the researchers created Dugong’s Diary, an Instagram page sharing field stories and conservation insights that has already gained more than 600 followers.

This research was made possible through the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund, which exists entirely thanks to the support of Zoo visits and donations! Every time you visit the Zoo, purchase from our Zoo Shop or eat at our cafes, you’re helping to support the work of us and our partners in Aotearoa and around the world, including field projects like this one that protect vulnerable species and the habitats they depend on. If you can’t make it to the Zoo in person, you can also support the mahi by donating here!

With these new tools developed and community engagement growing, the next phase of the project aims to expand non-invasive monitoring to other elusive species such as green turtles, sharks and rays. By combining science, technology and local knowledge, this work is helping to secure a future where the secretive dugong continue to thrive in Malaysia’s seagrass meadows.