Volunteer for the first statewide Dolphin Census

Communities across NSW are invited to register as a volunteer and help protect dolphins by taking part in the first statewide Dolphin Census on Saturday 30 May.

The one-day census is a collaboration between Dolphin Research Australia and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to create a statewide snapshot of where dolphins are found and what habitat they use.

Volunteers who register will be trained as citizen scientists in the weeks before the NSW Dolphin Census Day, with the project supported by funding from the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy.

On the day, volunteers will spend at least 15 minutes continuously watching for dolphins from their favourite vantage points along the NSW coast – from beaches and headlands to harbours, bays and river estuaries.

No experience is needed before undertaking the training. People can participate as individuals, with friends or in groups, bringing binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens.

Registered volunteers can choose to attend training in person, join a live webinar or complete a self-paced online course to help identify dolphin species, learn how to collect data and ensure safe observations.

The information collected will help fill key knowledge gaps about NSW’s dolphins and support conservation efforts.

Register now to get trained and be ready for the statewide Dolphin Census on Saturday 30 May.

Sign up online here www.dolphinwatch.org.au

Quotes attributable to Dolphin Research Australia CEO Dr Liz Hawkins:

“Most dolphin species rely heavily on coastal habitats, places where people love to work and play, and where our actions can impact them, which makes them highly vulnerable.

“At the moment, we simply don’t know enough about many of our dolphin populations. By working together as coastal communities, people across the state can help improve our understanding and contribute to protecting dolphins and their habitats.”

Quotes attributable to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Officer Andy Marshall:

“Every time we look more closely at our coastal dolphins, we uncover new insights — and often realise how much more there is to learn.

“In fact, many dolphins don’t travel as far as people assume, with some female Indo‑Pacific bottlenose dolphins spending their whole lives in the same local coastal area.”

Fast facts: Dolphins

• The Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin is the most often seen species off the NSW coast, living in estuaries, harbours, coastal waters and playing in the surf. This species is globally listed as Near Threatened (no conservation listing in NSW or Australia currently)
• However, other species seen in NSW waters include the very similar looking but larger offshore bottlenose dolphin, the common dolphin and the Australian humpback dolphins, while occasionally orcas and false killer whales (yes, they are both dolphins!) , the smaller and finer featured oceanic dolphins or even Risso’s dolphins are observed.
• The NSW Dolphin Census aims to help us understand what species are present, hotspots of abundance and important habitats.
• Some research suggests female Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins can show strong site fidelity, remaining within the section of coast where they were born, while males could be more likely to move between areas.
• In areas such as Port Stephens, Jervis Bay and the Far North Coast where smaller local studies have occurred, researchers and dolphin watchers can sometimes identify individual dolphins by unique dorsal fin features.
• In some areas, resident Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin populations may number between 40 to 90 dolphins, although family groups within a population can sometimes be much smaller.
• The NSW Government has a long-term plan called the Marine Estate Management Strategy which helps protect coastal places we love.
• The Strategy supports projects that restore habitats, improve water quality and protect the biodiversity of our coast.
• It sets out clear actions to reduce environmental threats, protect cultural values and ensure the coast and sea continue to support healthy communities, local jobs and future generations.

The NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy

• The NSW Government has a long-term plan called the Marine Estate Management Strategy which helps protect coastal places we love.
• The Strategy supports projects that restore habitats, improve water quality and protect the biodiversity of our coast.
• It sets out clear actions to reduce environmental threats, protect cultural values and ensure the coast and sea continue to support healthy communities, local jobs and future generations.