The reputation of Port Stephens as the dolphin capital of Australia was boosted recently with the birth of four bottlenose dolphins in January, two of them being born in the space of two days.
While this time of year generally sees a peak in dolphin births, Lisa Skelton of Imagine Cruises was surprised that so many were born within a short space of time.
The baby dolphins were spotted by Lisa as part of her census of the bay’s eastern dolphin population. Macquarie University did a study of the dolphin population a number of years ago, but Lisa restarted the dolphin census program herself, believing that it was important that each of the dolphins was registered.
“Dolphins are a big part of our livelihood here in Port Stephens, because of the visitors they attract here,” Ms Skelton said. “So it makes sense to gauge the dolphins’ population and know more about their daily lives.”
As part of the census, the dolphins are identified by the dorsal fin on their back, with its various markings. More than 60 dolphins have been documented in detail so far, with many of them given names, such as Flopper, one of the mothers of the new babies, named because of her floppy dorsal fin, and four male dolphins named after The Beatles members, John, Paul, George and Ringo, because the four were commonly seen together.
While the four baby dolphins have been assigned numbers and will continue to be observed, they will not be given names until they are about 12 months old, and have been further observed.
Up to 130 dolphins call Port Stephens their home, with other dolphins sometimes travelling from other areas to ‘socialise’.
“Although we’ve had four babies born in this past month, the dolphin population remains pretty stable,” Lisa Skelton said. “People tend to think that the dolphin population should be increasing, but it’s actually a really good sign that it’s stable, because it means the population is healthy.”
For Lisa, marine wildlife is a passion. While she originally studied a music teaching degree, she found she really wanted to be on a boat watching and capturing in photos the beauty of dolphins, whales and other creatures that pass through Port Stephens.
Dolphin cruises and a swim with the dolphins tour are held regularly in Port Stephens. For information on Port Stephens’ dolphin tours, attractions, dining and events, visit the official website for Destination Port Stephens – www.portstephens.org.au.
SOURCE Imagine Cruises