Mandurah Dolphin ID Pics

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Introducing the Mandurah Dolphins

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An informal identification study of the Mandurah dolphins has began in order to determine the local dolphin population.

Please note: All images on the Mandurah Dolphin pages are copyright © S.Kirby 1997.These images may NOT be used on another web page or for any commercial use.You may download these images for your own desktop or print them out to view, however any other use of any kind is not allowed without the prior written permission of S.Kirby.

u-boat

Uboat or Nicky as she is also called is a very easily recognisable friendly dolphin. It is thought her dorsal fin was gradually cut through by fishing line years ago. She had a calf now old enough to leave her side. This calf was first seen by us on 30 May 1998, and is called Josh (sex not known). In late December 2003 she had another calf who was named Christmas after being born very near to that day. In April 2008 she had another calf that died several days later.

calf 21

Number 21 is a female rescued from stranding whilst she was a calf on 13.3.97. At that time she was still with her mother number 22. In this rescue their numbers were freezebranded on their dorsal fins. 21 is a particular favourite of Dolphin Encounters. On approx 17 or 18th May 2004 she had her first calf, which sadly died soon after.

Number 22 is the mother of 21. She and 21 were rescued from stranding on 13.3.97. She has since had several more calves Fallon born April 1998, Filo autumn 2001 but sadly her next calf was stillborn or died shortly after birth in Autumn 2004.

She then had a further calf who survived. On 17^th April 2009 22 was seen carrying a new tiny dead calf on her snout, pushing it through the water. Dolphins mourn their dead calves for several days. Unfortunately the death rate of new born calves in dolphins is very high.

Fallon

Fallon in 1999. This calf has now left its mother's side.

split fin

Split Fin has a very badly mangled dorsal fin probably from a boat propeller. First seen 1997 and always in the ocean. Has never been seen by us in the peel inlet/estuary.

Sunshine

This is Sunshine. Sunshine must have been stranded in low tide and eventually many hours later managed to free herself when the tide eventually rose. She suffered severe burns to her side, which although have healed still leave recognisable white marks on her left side. On the 16th April 1997 we saw her with a new calf Sunbeam. Since then in autumn 2001 she gave birth to Surprise and now has a new calf born autumn 2004!

Freezebrand 17 is one of the dominant males here, always seen with 23 and 01, other males. They have formed a male allience we call "The Boys" and seem to run the show around here. They all have got themselves stranded several times over the years and been rescued over and over. In 2009 23 however has been seen alone.

Scars

On 9 December 1996 we saw a dolphin with very large plate sized wounds on both sides of its dorsal fin. These burns would have been from the sun whilst stranded in low tide. Scars now bears white scar tissue of these burns, making her very easy to identify. She is often seen hanging around with newborns. Sadly her calf Scarlett disappeared in 2003 :-( .

Number 23 is a very large and mature male. In 1990 he stranded along with many other males. He appeared to be a very dominant male in this area, maybe the boss! He is possibly the father to many calves.In 2009 he was generally sighted alone, not with his male allience

Sally Kirby

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