A History of Mandurah Dolphin Strandings

A history of our stranded freeze-branded dolphins in Mandurah

1 October 1990- 10 bottlenose dolphins were found in Lake Goegrup,2 unfortunately having already died. 8 were rescued,and freeze-branded 01 to 08 then released under the new bridge. All were males and measured approx. 2.2 metres in length.

3 February 1991- 2 bottlenose dolphins were trapped in Lake Goegrup, already freeze-branded 02 and 03. They were released under the new traffic bridge.

13 January 1992- 1 Bottlenose dolphin found trapped in Lake Goegrup, already freeze-branded 06,had to be put down due to horrific sun burns

5 December 1994- 4 bottlenose dolphins stranded on mudflats at Soldiers Cove , all males, and were freezebranded 12,13,14, and 15. These dolphins were released to deeper water from the old boat ramp, south of the old traffic bridge

10 December 1995- bottlenose dolphin freezebranded 12 was observed in a poor condition in Yunderup. This dolphin was captured and given a vet assessment, and a blood profile taken, then released. He was found dead on 23 December 1995 inside the Dawesville Cut, cause of death established by post mortem to be peritonitis.

8 November 1996- A dolphin stranded on the mudflats of Falcon for six or seven hours prior to being rescued. The adult 2.2metre bottlenose was struggling in water only 15cms deep. Although distressed, the dolphin was not sunburnt or hurt. The dolphin's condition was checked by a vet, before he was placed on an inflateable raft and towed to deeper water. This dolphin was not freezebranded.

13 March 1997- 6 bottlenose dolphins were trapped in Lake Goegrup, 2 adult females, 1 juvenile female, and 3 males. These dolphins were freezebranded 01 (a male rebranded from previous stranding), 17 (male), 20 (female), 21 (female calf), 22 (her mother), 23 (male). Number 23 carried an old brand, probably from the 1990 Lake Goegrup stranding which may have been 05.

29 Sept 97- A mother and her young calf were rescued from stranding in the shallows in the yunderup branch of the peel inlet. This is near Coopers mill. Canoeists found the pair about 10am in some distress. Together with a local resident they used sacks to successfully take the mother and calf out to deeper water. The mother in particular suffered bad burns to her back.

8 March 1998 - 3 adult dolphins were stranded in low water off Mandurah quays during the night. Two were able to be coaxed out to deeper water and safety. However, the third dolphin needed to be lifted by sling and caried out by rescuers as it was physically stranded, unable to move at all by itself. All dolphins reunited once they were in safer waters and swam off strongly. No sunburn was reported. The dolphin that was physically stranded had an old freezebranded number on its dorsal, the first letter being 0.

26 March 1998 - A dead dolphin was found in Mandurah's estuary waters. The dolphin had lost many of it's teeth and so was very old. It was not freezebranded and no visible signs of injury were observed. Measurements were taken, 2.57m in length, dorsal height 140mm, body width 635mm. It was presumed it had died from natural causes (old age)

30 March 1998 - Two dolphins were sighted stranded in Lake Goegrup, one physically unable to move on mudflats, the other swimming nearby in a deeper channel unable to escape due to the low tides. The stranded dolphin was freezebranded number 17, who has been stranded before. This dolphin had a series of cuts on its head, so regular it was thought they may have been injuries from a boat propeller. As well as these cuts, it also had an injury on it's tail, from the stranding. It was decided to place 17 on a sling and carry him to the deeper channel, to join the other dolphin. Though obviously exhausted and stressed from its stranding, this dolphin breached out of the water, once it was released and in safety. As the tides rose overnight, it was hoped both dolphins would then be able to navigate across, and out of Lake Goegrup safely. A search of Lake Goegrup and the Peel inlet the next day, revealed this plan had been successful, and number 17 was seen swimming strongly with a large pod of other dolphins.

19 April 1998 - A dolphin was seen pushing and carrying her dead (miscarried) calf on her snout, surrounded by a large pod of other dolphins in the Peel Inlet.

15 July 1998 - A young calf was seen trailing prawn netting underneath it, and wrapped around its body, swimming with it's mother number 22. Initial efforts to catch the calf were unsuccessful and a full CALM response was planned for the next day. However, on finding the baby again the next morning, it was clear the calf had been able to escape the netting by itself overnight. This calf is now named FALLON.

18 August 1998 - An adult dead dolphin was washed up on San Remo beach. very badly decomposed. No identifying marks or features could be distinguished.

26 August 1998 - 2 whales were sighted off silver sands beach inshore, one appearing to be in trouble. Despite the second whales attempts to be guiding the other out to deeper water, one of the whales then beached alive. However, it died within an hour and obviously had been very sick. It was found to be an adult fin whale, approx 15m, 40 tonnes approx, possibly 30 yrs old, with no visible wounds other than scrapes from being tossed onto the rough sand repeatably in the rough shore waves. It had stood no chance of survival.

15 April 1999- A dead male calf was found washed up on the beach between Halls Head and Falcon. Only approx 4 months old, it probably died from starvation as it was very emancipated.

15 October 1999 - A dead female 1.64m bottlenose dolphin was found washed up on a sandbed in the peel inlet. Cause of death unknown.

27 November 1999 - Decomposed dead adult dolphin found washed up on the beach at Falcon. Had most probably been caught in craypot ropes and drowned. Length 2.4m

10 February 2000 - Dead male bottlenose dolphin found decomposing on Madora Beach. May have been very old as it's teeth were almost completely worn down flat. Length 2.35m

2 very young calves, possibly stillborns found dead and badly decomposed south of white hills Dawesville. Lengths 1.m and 1.2m.

26 Febraury 2000 - Mother and calf pair found stranded in shallow water between the Serpentine and murray river entrances. People crabbing nearby were able to successfully assist the pair out to deeper safe waters.

1 May 2000 - Dead male bottlenose dolphin washed up on the beach 1/2km south of Avalon. Length 2.5m teeth quite flattened with age.

15 August 2000 - A female short finned pilot whale washed up dead alone at falcon beach, very decomposed. It was thought to be already dead by approximately 2 weeks. Length 4.1m. No teeth seen

2 December 2000 - A severely sunburnt dolphin was first noticed by Dolphin Encounters Mandurah. This dolphin must have been stranded and been able to eventually work itself free once the tide rose. It has later been established this was the male dolphin freeze branded with number 15 and his constant companion male freezebranded number 14 was also stranded and suffered burns. Both dolphins are now recovered.

27th December 2000 - 3 beaked whales stranded in mandurah. One was found dead at Avalon. The other two were assisted by CALM, emergency rescue officers, the volunteer dolphin rescue group and many members of the public, out to sea. One of these whales later restranded at Secret Harbour and was then successfully rescued and taken far out to sea by boat beyond the reef. The total rescue efforts took nearly 10 1/2hrs. As neither whale was reported restranded or dead, it is considered that the two rescues were successful.

[IMAGE] A dolphin with it's tail and body caught in craypot ropes in the ocean south of the Dawesville cut now owes its life to three mandurah residents who successfully cut it free.

24 June 2001 - A small male calf was found dead washed up on Seascape beach. Length 1.37m long. It is thought it may have run foul of heavy surf and the reef during a recent storm.

Mid to late August 2001 A young calf is reported to have been found dead washed up in the Estuary, near the Cut. Also on 4 September 2001 - A 2m bottlenose dolphin was found dead on rocks at the Cut under the Dawesville Bridge.

[IMAGE] 6 May 2002- A young (almost newborn) male calf still with foetal folds unfortunately got itself wedged under branches at the side of the Serpentine river in very high tide conditions due to a storm, and drowned. The calf was heard calling out in distress to the nearby pod, just prior to its death.

Winter 2003 - A pilot whale died after battling heavy seas off Madora Bay

March 2004 - A mother and calf stranded in Lake Geogorup and suffered severe burns. The calf was unfortunately later found dead off the Yunderup canal entrance on Friday 26th March 2004.

27th March 2004 - A Gray's beaked whale was found stranded in a shallow inlet bay immediately adjacent to the Dawesville Cut. The whale was assisted to deeper water with the high tide. After restranding the following day still in the Harvey Estuary area, the whale was herded by boats out to the ocean through the Dawesville cut.

18 May 2004 - The dolphin freezebranded 21 was seen mourning the loss of her new calf. Her mother also had a dead calf this year.

Our MANY thanks to Doug Coughran of CALM for providing much of the early dated information and Royceart for the dolphin icons

Email: Sally Kirby

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