Good News For Bay Dolphins
Over 40 common dolphins live in Port Phillip Bay. Everywhere else in the world, common dolphins live in the open ocean. The video shows social behaviour including mating.
Calves are born after 12 months gestation. Images of a fetal-fold calf swimming with its mother, taken on the same day, show what looks like vertical stripes. If you look closely, they are actually “puckers” in the new-born calf’s skin. These fill-out and fade over the first 3 months of life. Being so prominent tells us that the calf is only days or a week old.
Recent surveys recorded older calves (about 6 months) and sub-adult dolphins (about 5-7 years). Seeing this healthy range of age classes is a positive sign. With the help of our donors, we will continue to monitor these unique dolphins.
The imagery was collected during a survey in March 2020 under a scientific research permit from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
