How ecotourism boats are helping track Port Phillip Bay's dolphin population

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-08-05 04:00

Australia; VIC

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Ecotourism boats have been helping researchers estimate the size of a poorly-studied population of bottlenose dolphins in southern Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. Between 2012 and 2022, patrons, staff and volunteers on the boats have been sharing their photos of the dolphins they see while on the boats through an online platform, which researchers have now used to learn more about the dolphins. They say the population appears to have remained stable over the last decade, without any clear negative impacts from environmental or human factors.