A little citizen science has helped identify rarely seen male dolphins in the Gippsland Lakes.
Dr Kate Charlton-Robb and her team from the Marine Mammal Foundation (MMF) visit the area every season as part of ongoing research and monitoring of the dolphin population in the Lakes system.
“The Gippsland Lakes support a resident population of 63 Burrunan dolphins, but an annual winter influx temporarily doubles the population size,” Dr Charlton-Robb said.
This winter, some eagle-eyed local enthusiasts alerted the scientists to the presence of a pair of visiting dolphins.
“It’s a maternal based population, which means the majority of the population is female. This only changes during the winter breeding season when a large number of males enter the lakes,” Dr Charlton-Robb said.
“The two dolphins photographed by local community members were identified as transient males and had not been seen since 2015. Being able to catch up with them has strengthened our research on the strong bonds of male alliances in dolphins. This really highlights how important these community sightings can be.
“Thanks to citizen science, we were also able to identify that our regular transient males, which are observed each winter, entered the Lakes in early June and have remained in the system until our spring surveys.
Unfortunately, we can’t be on the water all the time, so these reports are so important in helping us identify individuals and movement patterns.”
Community members can become actively involved as MMF volunteers or one of the organisation’s citizen scientists.
“We are about to start a Lakes Champions program for the general community to become a part of the foundation, to be active in creating a cleaner environment, assisting us with our various community activities and land-based research program,” Dr Charlton-Robb said.
“We also have a fantastic new program for young people, aged 10-18 years. Our ‘Marine Champions’ program is largely run during the school holidays and gives budding marine biologists hands on opportunities and learning experiences in all things marine and sustainability. You can also request a community, school or workplace presentation or simply become a member of the MMF and help make sure Australia’s marine mammals are protected and conserved into the future.”
Anyone who sights dolphins in the Gippsland Lakes can visit Marine Mammal Foundation website and fill out the TrakMM sighting info form.
This allows the community using the waterways to log sightings of marine mammals, helping out the researchers, who can’t be on the water at all times.
PICTURED: Some eagle-eyed local enthusiasts alerted Marine Mammal Foundation scientists to the presence of a pair of rarely seen male dolphins in the Gippsland Lakes.
