Uncovering new environmental findings in the Pilbara
The Pilbara coastline is one of the world’s most remote and least studied regions. Its vast scale, seasonal extremes and limited historical data mean much of its ecological story is still being uncovered. But through BCI’s commitment to environmental stewardship and ongoing environmental management programs, new insights are emerging, particularly in relation to migratory shorebirds.
At the heart of this work is BCI’s long-standing partnership with Phoenix Environmental Sciences, which brings together a passionate team and strong technical expertise to regularly check in on the Mardie environment.
Having collaborated with BCI since 2017, the Phoenix team have supported Mardie’s environmental requirements through multiple phases of the project.
Some of their current work includes the annual monitoring of migratory shorebirds, which takes place during the wet season when shorebird numbers in the Pilbara peak, to better understand how these species utilise the Mardie coastline.
Phoenix Principal Zoologist, Dr Floyd Holmes, said that although migratory shorebirds are closely managed and protected under international agreements, there are still a lot of areas of the Pilbara that are not being adequately monitored.
“The Mardie coastline isn’t well surveyed by other means, so the data we collect with BCI is nationally significant for understanding what’s happening with these species,” he said.
“We’ve had some very large counts. One example is the Oriental Pratincole, where in 2023 we recorded 170,000 of these birds around Mardie, which is about six per cent of the estimated global population. That was quite exciting.”
Australia plays a critical role in the survival of migratory shorebirds as it sits within the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.
Each year, these birds undertake extraordinary journeys to escape the northern winter, travelling up to 10,000 kilometres to Pilbara feeding grounds. The ocean mudflats, sandbars and tidal samphire wetlands along the western and southern fronts of Mardie provide essential habitat, allowing shorebirds to rest and refuel.
During their stay, which typically lasts for roughly six months, migratory shorebirds can increase their body weight by as much as 70 per cent, building the energy reserves required for their return journey to breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere.
“We survey about 100 kilometres of coastline, flying at both high and low tide every year,” Dr. Holmes said.
“We conduct a large census of all migratory shorebirds in the area and then analyse the trends. We use several indicator species—migratory shorebirds from specific feeding niches that occur in high numbers—to assess whether populations are remaining stable.”
BCI is currently midway through its fifth season of annual migratory shorebird monitoring. During a recent field trip conducted in December 2025, a total of 19 migratory shorebird species were recorded across the Mardie coastline.
Protecting these species, however, extends beyond monitoring bird numbers alone. Changes elsewhere in the ecosystem, particularly increases in feral fauna, can pose a risk to migratory shorebirds through predation and habitat disturbance.
As part of its compliance requirements, BCI also monitors feral fauna to ensure its project activities are not contributing to an increase in these species.
To support this work, Phoenix undertakes annual feral fauna monitoring across site, focusing on animals such as cats, foxes and dogs. These animals can pose a serious threat to listed protected species, including migratory shorebirds.
“We have an array of cameras set up across the whole site, particularly around areas likely to contain feral fauna,” Dr Holmes said.
“These cameras run all year round. We then go through all the footage, reviewing images to identify whether the number of feral animals is changing.”
A total of 20 motion-sensitive cameras have been deployed across Mardie to establish baseline numbers and track any changes over time. This ongoing monitoring allows the team to regularly check in and ensure feral fauna numbers are not increasing.
By monitoring both migratory shorebirds and potential pressures within the surrounding ecosystem, BCI’s partnership with Phoenix continues to build a clearer understanding of an under-studied coastline.
BCI’s Head of Environment and Heritage, Dr Shaun Meredith, said the findings from the monitoring programs reinforce the importance of integrated environmental management.
“Mardie is set in a very remote location, so our individual monitoring programs and the way that the data is collected and integrated really does provide meaningful datasets that we can learn from year after year,” he said.
“We don’t take it for granted that Mardie is located in a really special natural environment. Our priority is to ensure it is understood and protected, and that the decisions we make today are informed by solid data.”
