Maugean skate: Tasmanian species has declined by 47 per cent
An endangered species that has been around since T-rex roamed Earth is on the brink of extinction, with researchers saying immediate action is needed to save it
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Tasmanian researchers* have issued a dire* warning about the Maugean skate, a species* that dates back to prehistoric times* and is now on the verge of extinction*.
Dr. David Moreno and Professor Jayson Semmens from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) have discovered that the last remaining group of these skates resides* in Macquarie Harbour*, located on the West Coast of the state.
Unfortunately, the environmental conditions* in the area have significantly deteriorated, putting the survival of these unique creatures in jeopardy*.
To understand the situation better, IMAS has initiated a three-year gillnet* survey monitoring* program to collect data on the status of the skate population.
In a report covering the first year of sampling (2021), Dr Moreno and Prof Semmens found concerning trends*.
They observed that the size of female skates had increased over time, while the number of captured juveniles* had significantly decreased.
They discovered a big drop of 47 per cent in the number of skates they caught between 2014 and 2021. This means there are fewer skates around now compared to before, and it’s a cause for concern.
The implications of these findings are alarming, emphasising the urgent need for immediate action, the report said.
The decline in population size and the scarcity of new skate offspring raise serious concerns for species conservation*.
The researchers said the “results highlight the vulnerability* of the species to degraded environmental conditions and the need for further monitoring of the population”.
Dr Moreno said evidence in the monitoring report underlined the need to continue the program beyond 2023.
“The reality is that we risk losing an important species which only exists in this harbour,” he said. “So human activities related to the skate need to be managed, such as recreational fishing*, and those that affect the marine environment such as salmonid aquaculture* and river flow management for hydro production.”
The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said urgent recovery measures for the skate were needed, including restoring the health of the harbour, development of a captive breeding program and ongoing monitoring of the population.
The Maugean skate is part of the cartilaginous* group of fishes, which also includes sharks and rays. Its estimated area of occupancy* is 100 sq/km.
Dr. Leonardo Guida, an AMCS shark scientist, emphasised the critical* need for action to halt the species’ decline.
“The Maugean skate has been around since Tyrannosaurus rex roamed the Earth but is now literally being choked to death in its home that man has turned into a putrid* bathtub. If the Australian government* does not act now, it may disappear on our watch,” he said. “Tasmania is home to Australia’s most infamous* extinction, that of the thylacine or Tasmanian tiger.”
GLOSSARY
- dire: very serious and urgent
- extinction: when a species no longer exists
- prehistoric times: a very long time ago, before there were written records or information about history. It is a period when humans did not yet exist, and it includes the time when dinosaurs lived on Earth
- species: a specific type of living thing, like a particular kind of animal or plant
- researchers: scientists who study and learn new things
- resides: lives or stays in a specific place
- environmental conditions: the state of the natural surroundings and how they affect living things
- jeopardy: when something is in danger or at risk
- gillnet: a special type of net used to catch fish
- monitoring program: a plan to keep track of and study something over a period of time
- trends: patterns or changes that happen over time
- juveniles: young individuals that are not fully grown
- conservation: protecting and taking care of nature and its creatures
- vulnerability: being easily harmed or affected by something
- harbour: a place near the sea or ocean where ships can dock
- recreational fishing: fishing for fun or as a hobby
- salmonid aquaculture: the farming of fish like salmon
- occupancy: the amount of space something takes up
- cartilaginous: having a skeleton made of cartilage, like sharks and rays
- critical: very important and needing immediate attention
- putrid: very dirty or polluted
- government: the group of people who make rules and decisions for a country
- infamous: well-known for something bad
- human activity: actions or things that people do
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QUICK QUIZ
- Where is the last remaining group of Maugean skates located?
- Why are the Maugean skates on the verge of extinction?
- What program did the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) initiate to understand the status of the skate population?
- What concerning trend did Dr. Moreno and Prof. Semmens find in their first-year sampling?
- Which organisation stressed the need for urgent recovery measures for the Maugean skate?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Make the solution
List the problems that are causing the number of Maugean skates to decline. Next to each problem, write a solution that you think could solve the problem. Don’t forget to include sentences explaining why your solution will help.
Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English
2. Extension
Imagine that you are part of the marketing campaign to help kids understand the threat to the Maugean skate. Your job is to design a cartoon, animation character or mascot that younger kids will love. Your character will help tell the story of the threats to their species and should be based on a skate. Give it a name and create a logo that includes your character.
Time: Allow 60 minutes for this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Science; Geography; Visual Communication Design
VCOP ACTIVITY
Up-level it
Scan through the article and see if you can locate three words that you consider to be basic, or low level. These are words we use all the time and that can be replaced by more sophisticated words. Words like “good” and “said” are examples of overused words.
Once you have found them, see if you can up-level them. Think of synonyms you could use instead of these basic words, but make sure they still fit into the context of the article.
Re-read the article with your new words. Did it make it better? Why/why not?