Throughout the world, the levels of plastic debris are increasing dramatically. Recent research into the levels of plastic ingestion in Fransiscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) from Argentina demonstrate the levels of exposure coastal dolphins have to these potentially fatal sources of pollution. Researchers found that of the 106 Franciscana dolphins studied, 28% had plastic debris in […]
Whale Fest 2011 is set to take off with a bang in celebration of the return of the humpback whales and their local cousins, the dolphins. Whale Fest 2011 will showcase the rich cultural diversity of the northern NSW region as well as integrating science, conservation, education and art into one event in celebration of […]
Our Winter 2011 dolphin research season in Byron Bay has just begun. Our field team are rugged up and ready for this exciting season. With a quiet start on Sunday and some cold rain on Monday, today was a great sunny day with lots of dolphins feeding and milling around Cape Byron. This season will also […]
Our Gold Coast Dolphin Project is in its 3rd week and is making some great progress. Weather hasn’t been the greatest in past weeks, however we have still made many sightings and identifications of dolphins AND just yesterday spotted our very first Sousa (humpback dolphin)!!! Liz managed to sneak a quick dorsal fin shot in […]
Tourist accidentally reveals new insight into humpback biology In the past decades researchers have discovered a lot about the secret life of humpback whales and their migration. This species is known to travel incredible distances from south to north and back (for example from Antarctica to the warmer waters of eastern Australia and Fiji) along […]
The next Dolphin Sighting Network workshop will be held at the Ramada Hotel in Ballina, 30th September 2010 from 6pm- 8pm. Come and learn all about dolphin ecology, their biology & how you can help the research team learn more about Australia’s dolphin populations. By coming along to one of our workshops you will become […]
The DEAP team has been awarded a $71,000 national competitive grant from the Australian Marine Mammal Centre to study dolphins in the Gold Coast and Tweed Heads region. The grant will fund research that will investigate the abundance and habitat preferences of coastal dolphins from Jumpinpin near South Stradbroke Island to the Tweed river mouth. […]
Come and learn all about dolphin biology and ecology at our upcoming Dolphin Sighting Network Workshop, 6th August 2010 at the Gecko House, Currumbin, Qld. The workshop covers all sorts of topics including how dolphins feed, how they recognise each other, how you can identify different species and how you can become part of the […]
The Dolphin Ecology & Acoustics Project Winter 2010 field season has now come to an end. We had some great weather along the way, with some of the clearest visibility we’ve seen all year. Lots of dolphins as always and also lots of feeding with lots of prey species migrating along the coast. We were […]
The Gulf of Mexico oil leak continues to spill out over 4 million litres (higher end estimate) of oil each day and is one of the worst that has occurred on Earth. It began over 70 days ago and now stretches along 190km of coastline. The spill threatens the very core of the natural ecosystems […]
A recent paper published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin reports on the results of the cause of death of two sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded in 2008 along the coast of California. The cause of death was a result of the ingestion of large amounts of fishing net scraps, rope and other plastic debris that […]
TO THE SEA A DOLPHIN ECOLOGY AND ACOUSTICS PROJECT SPECIAL EVENT. To celebrate the launch of DEAP’s two newest programs ‘Adopt a Dolphin’ and ‘The Dolphin Sighting Network’ we’re throwing ourselves a little fundraiser. And what better way to do so than through an ode to the seaside represented in the artworks and photographs donated […]
Our Dolphin Ecology & Acoustics Project autumn2010 season has now come to a close. It was another successful series of data collection. Each day we had some great dolphin action with lots of surfing and socialising. We were blessed with some great weather and got some good kayaking surveys in. We also saw the first of […]
The Australian snubfin dolphin, which closely resembles the Irrawaddy dolphin, is Australia’s only endemic dolphin species. These dolphins are found in small, isolated populations inhabiting shallow coastal waters around northern Australia from Broome to the Brisbane River. The snubfin dolphin is not thought to be a common species and is listed as ‘rare’ under the […]
On April 18th, on the other side of the world, an adult male gray whale was found dead on the shores of West Seattle in the United States. Although the cause of death is not currently known, researchers from Cascadia Research found some unusal stomach contents. In the stomach of the gray whale there was 20 […]
Have you ever wanted to learn about dolphins and how you can help to conserve them? Then join the DEAP Dolphin Sighting Network. The Network encourages members of the community to report their dolphin sightings. A single sighting can be very useful for researchers. You can become a certified member of the Dolphin Sighting Network by […]
On Saturday 24th April, we began our Autumn 2010 field season. Beautiful warm sunny weather greeted us as well as the dolphins. The research kayak had a great encounter with a group off Watego’s Beach. The team captured some big leaps and a newborn bottlenose dolphin calf. We are looking forward to the rest of […]
We’re busy getting ready for the next Dolphin Ecology & Acoustic Project’s research field season in Byron Bay. The Autumn research season is set to begin 24th April 2010 to 10th May 2010. For two weeks we will once again be on the water and up the top of the Cape Byron Lighthouse logging the […]
You can adopt your very own dolphin from Byron Bay and help support the research. This month, we will be officially launching our Dolphin Adoption Program. By becoming a guardian of a dolphin, you will be able to keep track and learn about your dolphin with the researchers. Check out our Adopt-A-Dolphin page for […]