Another dolphin washes up in gulf
Whyalla residents are being reminded to look out for the welfare of young dolphins after the body of a juvenile washed up on the Whyalla foreshore last week.
Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula (NREP) Coast and Marine Officer Kate Brocklehurst said no immediate cause of death was apparent and there were no signs of violence.
She said the SA Museum would perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
“In the last year we have seen a number of young dolphins washing up on our shores, which is a cause of concern,” Ms Brocklehurst said.
“Human actions impact on our wildlife and it’s important to be aware of things we can do to minimise our impact on marine animals like dolphins.
“Hand feeding wildlife can have significant impact on young animals. Double the number of young dolphins die if they are hand fed, as they do not learn to find food for themselves, so it important not to hand feed them.
“Dolphins are beautiful animals that we are lucky enough to enjoy living by the coast, and we must realise that they are a wild animal and must live like one.”
Ms Brocklehurst said collisions with boats and other water craft could also lead to injury and death.
“I would also like to remind people that you need to be at least 300m away from dolphins on a water craft,” she said.
“If a dolphin does approach you should drop speed and not move the vehicle to follow or get closer to the animals.”
For more information about our coast go to www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ep/coast-and-marine
Kate Brocklehurst can also be contacted on 0488 000 481 or e-mail kate.brocklehurst@sa.gov.au
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