Mia and Chelsea, founders and lead researchers of Waves, will take us along on their research project in The Republic of Palau studying the Dugong population! This project is a partnership between their NGO WAVES and a local NGO they are working with as part of a five-year monitoring plan for Palau's critically endangered dugong. Dugongs are the eastern hemisphere's sisters to the manatee and are minimally studied and even less understood, especially in Palau where the population is shy and elusive due to the history of being hunted. This project uses traditional ecological knowledge and monthly drone-assisted surveys to study the behavior of the dugongs in the island's northern waters in an effort to identify critical habitats to provide information to the local state offices for recommendations for the implementation of marine protected areas. --- Visit their website to learn more and follow along on their research journey: https://www.wavesresearch.org/