A History of our Dolphins part 6 2021
2 January 2021 - Sadly 6 year old Benji was found deceased today on Novara foreshore.He was taken by DBCA to Murdoch for necropsy. Benji measured approximately 1.87m long (and 57cm blowhole to dorsal)
22 January 2021 - "John Edwards" one of our oldies health is compromised.
31 January 2021 - First time mum Willow has a new little calf today! Sadly this calf Wish then must have deceased (during a time we were lockdown).
31 January 2021- Zetta was found badly stranded in extremes shallows of the Peel Inlet today. She sadly passed during the rescue attempt.
14 February 2021 - Unfortunately Willow was seen today without her newborn calf Wish of 31 January. They had both been missing for almost 2 weeks
15 February 2021 - Another resident dolphin Hook seen today with evidence of stranding ( sunburn on side)
Late February notes = Christmas and coal herded by males. DC weaned from Dylan. More coastals coming in from the ocean.
2 March 2021 - New coastal calves seen born to Makai ( named Angel) and Teddy (named Picnic). Significant number of coastal dolphins with new small shark injuries.
6 March 2021 - 2 newborns seen today born to Bowie (named Genie) and Diver (named Skylar)
6 March 2021 - Dead dolphin found 10km south of the the White Hills Beach entrance track.
31 March 2021 - Wild Turkey being herded by Crook's alliance in the inlet. Krista Nicholson celebrating handing in her PHD today!
5 April 2021 - Wendy seen with no neonate calf, so it is sadly believed Tigerlily ( Tilly) may have deceased.
Wendy was possibly seen alone on 29th ( nighttime sighting). Wendy was seen again on 18th April alone, confirming Tigerlily has deceased.
20 April 2021 - Nicky being herded by 14 and blake and now Hook's alliance
22 April 2021 - First sighting of Hayley's new calf Poppy today. We last saw Hayley ( still pregnant on 20th) so calf is only day/s old.
22 May 2021 - Female adult "Boris" found deceased in the shallows of Harvey Estuary. Recovered by DBCA and taken to Murdoch for necropsy. Approx 2.4m
13 June 2021 - Elder male dolphin "Maxwell" health appears very compromised
16 June 2021 - Nugget resighted in the Peel Inlet after not being seen for a year
28 June 2021 - Maxwell deceased in the Dawesville Cut today. He was extremely emaciated. He measured approx. 2.33m and blowhole to dorsal 68mm.
His body was taken to Murdoch University by DBCA.
28 June 2021 - John Edwards hasn't been seen since February and is presumed deceased.
14 September 2021 - Sadly Female subadult dolphin Eleven has been seen extremely emaciated and is clearly in extremely poor condition
24 September 2021 - 2 deceased dolphins. Sadly adult male resident dolphin "Lemmy" was found deceased in the peel inlet today. His body was recovered the next day in the shallows of Cox Bay and very close by another deceased dolphin was also found thought to be female "Eleven". Thanks to DBCA, Fisheries and volunteers both dolphins have been transported to Murdoch University.
28 September 2021 - Meelan, calf of Malika seen unable to swim due to entanglement of braided fishing line cutting into his right tail fluke that had a huge amount of trailing line and weed attached, slowing his progress. An extremely concerned mother Malika stayed close nearby After frantically trying to free himself they did manage to swim away suggesting at least some of the line had broken or the heavy weed had displaced. Further attempts to locate the pair that afternoon by volunteers, and DBCA for a few hours on marine safety vessel were unsuccessful. Searching by volunteers for several days after failed to find the dolphins, then wild winds and stormy weather prevented further searching for days. The calf and mother were successfully relocated still together by volunteers on Wednesday 6th October, reported in to DBCA who advised they were unable to attend. A limited response the following day was unsuccessful. Following this second response volunteers continued to search.
14 October 2021 - Sadly it is now believed Meelan the entangled calf above has deceased. His mother has been resighted without him for 2 days. She was being followed by males on the second day.
15th October 2021 - River seen without her calf Merak, who is believed to now be weaned. Piper maple also weaned.
23 October 2021 - lots of calves weaned now including maple and CC. Many dolphins look large including Lucy Christmas Hightouchy Coal Anna
24 October 2021 - 3rd annual Luca's Legacy Reel It In Cleanup held
15 November 2021 - After an absence of many months the oceanic cut dolphins have returned to foraging in the cut. Hali now thought to be male?
Christmas/Boxing Day 2021 - Small male juvenile dolphin ( Diamond) sighted spending days lost in extremely shallow water in middle section of black lake.
Rescued on boxing day and taken to serpentine river by DBCA and mandurah volunteers!
12 January 2022 - Newborn seen only a few days old named Bella, born to inshore coastal dolphin Bucket
20 January 2022 - Malika now seen without males herding here.
20 January 2022 - Newborn seen only a few days old, born to inland resident Lucy
25 January 2022 - Hook and Bitts stranded on extreme shallow bank, back of peel inlet between Roberts Bay and Austin Bay. Reported to DBCA
26 January Hook and Bitts resighted safe, Bitts is however quite sunburnt
28 January Hook and Bitts are now back together ( part of male alliance)
19 February Hook Bitts and Frank all back together ( male alliance)
Update - Both Hook and Bitts are alive and well 6 months later.
27 January 2022 - Linkin sighted with very large but shallow shark bite on his left side.
A 4m tiger shark was reported by fisherman entering the mandurah channel the day before ( unconfirmed sighting)
28 January 2022 - Kristen caught in shallow channel again in front of Herron Caravan Park. Eventually safely exited by himself late afternoon.
31 January 2022 - Deceased decomposed juvenile male dolphin Maple washed up Novara foreshore 1.94m length, 50mm blowhole base of dorsal
Maple was last seen on 26th January 2022 looking extremely emaciated.
3 February 2022 - Lucy seen without her newborn named "Gem", unfortunately likely deceased. Lucy had been in the Harvey Estuary with the calf.
Deceased decomposed newborn found on sandbank Harvey Estuary near Possum Loop 2/2/22
Was a male neonate 1.18m long, dorsal to middle blowhole measure 14cm
3 February 2022 - New calf seen born to Brandon. Named Bliss
5 February 2022 - Deceased male dolphin found in Roberts Bay. Sadly believed to be Diamond. 2.06m long length, blowhole to dorsal 60cm
Too decomposed for necropsy.
11 February 2022 - New calf born to Dylan first seen today! Named Indie
16 February 2022 - New calves born to likely first time mums Rabbit ( Named Remy) and Buddha ( Named Bodhi)
23 February 2022 - Entrapment. Surprise unable to exit narrow channel off mariners cove channel until high tide mid afternoon ( blocked by row rocks)
24 February 2022 - New calf born to Joy seen today named Jasper ( Joy last seen 5 days earlier)
25 February 2022 - New calf born to Coal only days old ( Named Ember)
3 March 2022 - Willow seen with new calf. Sadly she lost her first calf last year within days of birth ( born 31st January 2021) named Whisper
4 March 2022 - Christmas has a new calf ! First seen today. Named Jingles
5 March 2022 - Hightouchy seen with new calf today! Highjinxs or jinxs
6 March 2022 - Spike has a calf! Both Hightouchy and Spike are first time mothers. Spike's calf has been named Frankl.
8 March 2022 - Surprise once again caught out by tide behind the rockline in Katinka Retreat Mariners Cove. Waiting for high tide to exit.
Surprise did not successfully exit on high tide day 1 despite trying, as he went sideways onto of the rockline, then gave up
Finally he was able to leave late high tide 9th March with a very ackward exit. Thanks to the many
caring community members and Katinka Rt homeowners for all their help and assistance overseeing Surprise for 2 days.
9 March 2022 - Sea has a new calf! First seen today. Named Sailor
16 March 2022 - Oliver, calf of deceased Boris now regularly re-seen in Harvey Estuary. Oliver was last seen in our main waterways in winter 2021.
19 March 2022 - Angus acting oddly in town in shallows ( was just chasing fish in extreme shallows near OBG)
20 March 2022 - Duke seen with a tiny new calf
3 April 2022 - Deceased male neonate found floating estuary end of the Dawesville Cut, recovered by volunteers ( no necropsy)
As all known newborns both cut and inland were then reseen in the week following it is thought to be a ocean calf.
4 April 2022 - Sugarsnap extremely emaciated, has been loosing weight and condition since late 2021.
11 April 2022 - Coal seen without her calf Ember. With crook male alliance.
13 April 2022 - Very decomposed juvenile male found end of Little Island South Yunderup approx 1.6m long ( merak?)
14 April 2022 - Mowgli has a new calf first seen today named Baloo
20 April 2022 - Decomposed female neonate ( likely Ember) found in shallows of Creery Island ( length 134mm. Martins measure 46mm) tiny teeth
20 April 2022 - Tragically male Sugarsnap was found today too decomposed for necropsy. ( Length 224mm. Martins measure 65mm)
27 April 2022 - Hatrick (with Hali ) being herded by Hook alliance,14 and Blake
History continued on page 7 here