“Mermaids” under Threat. How can we monitor dugongs in Indonesia to aid in their protection?

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><b><span lang="EN" style="color:#01182d">Overview of Module: <a name="_Hlk131867983"></a></span></b></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><b>1) Content</b><span style="color:blue">. </span>This module introduces students to dugong ecology, their dependence on seagrass ecosystems, and the key threats affecting their populations, with a focus on the Indonesian context. It also explores practical approaches to monitoring dugongs, including both direct and indirect methods, and how these can support conservation and rescue efforts.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><b>2) Activities.</b> Students engage through interactive activities such as quizzes, case studies, and applied exercises on monitoring design and data interpretation, as well as community-based approaches like interviews. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><b>3) Impact.</b> The module emphasizes critical thinking by asking students to evaluate technological and logistical constraints and to integrate scientific methods with local ecological knowledge. Overall, it equips learners with both conceptual understanding and practical tools, making it valuable for instructors aiming to teach applied, interdisciplinary marine conservation in real-world contexts.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <h3 style="margin-bottom:5px"><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="vertical-align:top"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span style="color:#434343"><span style="font-weight:normal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">Learning Objectives:</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3> <ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="tab-stops:list 13.5pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Explain the ecological significance of dugong monitoring and its role in marine conservation.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="tab-stops:list 13.5pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Understand the basic regulation, ethical, and technical consideration in using drones and AI tools to investigate and document the presence and behaviour of marine wildlife.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="tab-stops:list 13.5pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Describe the essential steps and components involved in planning a dugong observation or monitoring study using drones. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="tab-stops:list 13.5pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Evaluate the limitations and challenges of implementing technological methods in resource-limited contexts.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="tab-stops:list 13.5pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Analyze how integrating scientific methods with local community knowledge can enhance conservation outcomes.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><strong><span arial="" lang="EN" style="font-family:">Translation: </span></strong><span arial="" lang="EN" style="font-family:"><span style="font-weight:normal">This module will be available soon in Bahasa Indonesia.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><strong><span arial="" lang="EN" style="font-family:">Support was provided by:</span></strong> A grant from the United States National Science Foundation (DBI-RCN-UBE 2120141).</span></span></span></p>