Smile, and please let DRI know as well. Every sighting is valuable, and easy to do click here. DRI does not publish nor in any way advertise the locations of the sightings we receive.
The more sightings we have of dolphins in our bays and waterways, the more ‘dots on the map’ we can add to our database. This is invaluable in monitoring our current resident dolphins in Port Phillip and Western Port, and vital for their future and the planning of coastal Victoria.
People who often see dolphins on ‘their’ beach can seem to be reluctant to report where ‘their’ dolphins are. Again, DRI does not publish nor in any way advertise the locations of the sightings we receive. By not reporting sightings, people may actually be not protecting the very dolphins they think they are protecting. If the dolphins aren’t known to be there, why would they need any protection in the future? The more sightings DRI adds to our database, the stronger our knowledge base is about Victoria’s dolphins.
Remember – don’t approach dolphins. If they swim to you, enjoy their presence, smile heaps, and let them swim away. Do not chase or follow them. As a rule, keep a hundred metres away (300m for jetskis). More about the approach distances here.
