SOUTH EASTERN CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY AGM GALA EVENT
The event was well attended by a large crowd of people, amongst which were dignitaries including, Aboriginal Elder Carolyn Briggs, Coordinator of the Port Phillip EcoCentre, Neil Blake, President of Blue Wedges, Jenny Warfe and internationally-respected forensic scientist and ecologist, Hans Brunner who came to hear Kate Charlton-Robb speak about her recent discovery of a new species of dolphin.
Kate Charlton-Robb, a PhD researcher in the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University was the keynote speaker who spoke about the central role she played in the recent discovery of a new species of dolphin during the South Eastern Centre for Sustainability's AGM held on the evening of Friday 11 November at the Mt Eliza Community Centre.
She discussed the background and processes she employed in helping her unearth her remarkable findings, which have been published in the latest PLoS ONE Journal, showing that coastal dolphins in southern Australia greatly differed from any other dolphin worldwide.
To adopt her words, "This is an incredibly fascinating discovery as there have only been three new dolphin species formally described and recognised since the late 1800s. What makes this even more exciting is this dolphin species has been living right under our noses, with only two known resident populations living in Port Phillip Bay and the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria."
According to Dr Kevin Rowe, Museum Victoria's Senior Curator of Mammals, Ms Charlton-Robb's discovery is an exciting example of a recent trend in biodiversity research across Victoria and Australia. Through the careful application of emerging technologies to museum specimens, researchers are revealing that our biological heritage is far more diverse than we realise.
Ms Charlton-Robb said it is important this study continues in order to conserve and protect the Burrunan dolphin (Tursiops australis) for future generations. As such, she will discuss the implications of climate change and the resulting impact on the species, as well as the importance of the role played by the South Eastern Centre for Sustainability in educating about topical issues and how its educational programs, exhibits, research initiatives and links with institutions such as Museums Australia and tertiary institutions can play a pivotal role in disseminating knowledge and furthering the aims and objectives of such projects.
Senior Flinders Christian Community College student, Laura Patience provided an eye-opening speech about the ubiquitous use of palm oil in the foods we consume and the detrimental effect its production has on the ever-increasing rate of extinction of animals due to the loss of their habitat which arises from the land clearance to plant palm trees, predominantly in south-east Asia. Her logical advice that everybody can make a difference, simply by actively avoiding foods which don't make use of palm oil was empowering.
Presentations by a selection of the winning page and performance poets of the Centre's recent 'Go Green Slam' environmental poetry competition were recited (see the link under poetry competition under Events for the winning entries) while international bossa nova (summer jazz) artist, Adam Dunning, entertained the audience during the event.