It’s that special time of the year again!

Thankyou SO much wonderful Sealink KI for another year of fantastic long term Citizen Science Community Link sponsorship, inkind travel and support in 2025 / 2026 which to us…and the dolphins, means everything! www.sealink.com.au

Thanks to the wonderful long term sponsorship and support provided by Sealink KI since 2012, we have been able to continue our longitudinal volunteer Citizen Science research effort with fantastic outcomes. This ongoing faith, support, sponsorship and in-kind travel is a game changer for Kangaroo Island / Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch and we are truly grateful.

Despite ongoing challenges of weather issues and vessel availability impacting on maintaining regular survey effort each month, we have continued to develop and thrive in our region.

As in previous years the sponsorship funds were greatly appreciated contributing to boat charter costs for surveys plus fantastic travel fares well used, for coordinating and operating our project in Victor Harbor and for presentations, workshops, meetings etc. Without this amazing support our longitudinal community Citizen Science project would not be thriving as it is today!

“@kivhdolphinwatch is an exceptional example of a citizen-led research project that not only contributes to scientific knowledge but also fosters community wellbeing and resilience. Sealink has been proudly supporting its efforts for more than 13 years.”

         Sealink Community Link Program “The Islander” Newspaper April 2024

249 monthly Citizen Science surveys on Kangaroo Island and 161 surveys in Victor Harbor totalling 410 in our region, have been completed to date. A staggering number of hours of land based monitoring plus ongoing community data input supplement our boat based surveys.

Sealink’s ongoing support over the years has helped us continue to work on our aims of conservation and protection of dolphins in our regional waters and indeed on a global scale. We continue to foster this double purpose in highlighting to the world the marine experience opportunities in our region and the magnificent marine habitats in the Mission Blue Kangaroo Island North Coast Hope Spot as well as enhancing much needed protection and conservation of dolphins and other cetaceans. www.missionblue.org

Moving towards greater protection for Cetaceans across SA and beyond collaborating with renowned key personnel in this conservation space is a work in progress!

Continuing advocacy for marine fauna in our waters and gaining greater protection for dolphins and habitats upon which they depend are at the heart of our project.

Once again thankyou so much Sealink for your amazing help and support.

Our mantra – “changing one heart one mind at a time” developing a common sense of purpose is exemplified by change in societal understandings caring for marine environments.

Thankyou for your amazing contribution to help make it all happen!

Love and gratitude in boatloads.

#sealinkki #communitylink #community #collaboration #sponsorship #support #kangarooisland #victorharbor #fleurieu #kimarineadventures #bigduckboattours

What a delight the 20^th Birthday Celebration, Survey 249 to North Cape on April 7^th on the mighty Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures turned out to be!

A number of the dolphins first observed  in 2005 on Survey 1 & 2 including Two Notch ( who now has 5!), Ellisa and calves etc turned up as if they wished to join in on the occasion too.

An absolute treat for the crew of regular and new volunteers, topped off by 14 Bottlenose dolphins overall with 2 juveniles and 2 young calves amongst the pod.

A close check of the shoreline as well as “cloudy water” gave some indications of the algal bloom assailing South Australia’s coastline causing massive concern to all.

A wonderful debrief Brunch topped off with a stunningly beautiful birthday cake prepared once again by Sophie Sheridan at the Emu Bay Lavender Farm http://www.emubaylavenderfarm.com.au completed a magnificent celebration as we enter our 20^th year of the Dolphin Watch Citizen Science project. Many other volunteers who sadly were not available on the day for various reasons were with us in spirit.

Another magic milestone to celebrate coming up…our 250^th survey on Kangaroo Island.

As always, our heartfelt thanks to our fantastic Ambassador Melody Horrill http://www.melodyhorrill.com, operational partners KI Marine Adventures http://www.kimarineadventures.com.au and The Big Duck Boat Tours in Victor Harbor www.thebigduck.com.au, mentor Dr Mike Bossley AM, scientists, volunteers, sponsors and supporters!

All your amazing help, support and faith in our core business over all these years means everything!!!!

Here’s to the next 20 years and beyond!

#20years #happybirthday #dolphinwatch #celebration #conservation #cetaceanrights

“Back Roads goes in search of all creatures great and small on Kangaroo Island, off the South Australian coast. Guest presenter Paul West checks in to see how the island is faring after devastating Black Summer fires of 2020.”

Episode 7 Live to air on February 20^th 2025

Stream Back Roads now on @abciview ABC TV #BackRoads

https://iview.abc.net.au

Such a treat to be invited on board a very special marine tour on Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures www.kimarineadventures.com.au hosting the wonderful ABC Backroads www.abc.net.au to stunning Dashwood Bay right in the middle of the Mission Blue www.missionblue.org Kangaroo Island North Coast Hope Spot in May 2024.

An absolute delight to work with this thoroughly professional film group who were great company as well as totally switched on to the best way to present their program with extraordinary cinemaphotography and brilliant conservation messages.   

What a stunning expose of the unique nature of Kangaroo Island and the strong environmental protection messages which resonated with so many who seek to protect our island home.

The feedback has been amazing and so well deserved by all involved.

Thankyou so much wonderful Paul West, Lou Turley, Ben Cunningham and Pinky, ABC Backroads….and our Superstar Skipper Andrew Neighbour.

@abciview @abcaustralia

#marineconservation #filmgroup #kangarooisland #wildlife #cinematography #iview #ABC #dolphins #conservation #thankyou

Happy New Year! We are looking forward to another fantastic year in Dolphin Watch  – our 20^th year!

Following recent Christmas surveys – our 246^th research survey on KI Marine Adventures on Kangaroo Island, coupled with our 154^th on The Big Duck Boat Tours, Victor Harbor, the wonderful Citizen Scientist volunteers of Kangaroo Island / Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch have undertaken an amazing 400 surveys in our regional waters. This milestone achievement is worthy of celebration, not simply because of the numbers involved which make it a longitudinal study of significance, but because of the data collected, analysed and recorded.

The usage of this data continues to bear fruit in terms of enhancing protection for our local dolphin population groups as well as providing invaluable insights regarding dolphin behaviours.

It is a credit to the hundreds of volunteers of all ages who have participated over the years, some on many occasions, but the main accolades belong with Andrew Neighbour of KI Marine Adventures http://www.kimarineadventures.com.au and Michael Veenstra and staff at The Big Duck Boat Tours http://www.thebigduck.com.au for their fantastic ongoing support of the project over all these years!

A special thankyou to Nedra Haines who, as manager of the Victor Harbor section, has performed an incredible multifaceted role with such aplomb.

Our wonderful Ambassador Melody Horrill http://www.melodyhorrill.com, our magnificent mentors Dr Mike Bossley AM and Mark Deraad http://www.i-nex.com.au, major sponsors Sealink Kangaroo Island http://www.sealink.com.au and a host of sponsors and supporters, some of whom have been with us since the very beginning, all deserve massive thanks!

We would be lost without you.

As we begin our 20^th year we look forward  to celebrating and continuing our ongoing quest for ultimate Cetacean rights and the greatest protection for these remarkable, iconic non human persons, sentient beings and their critical habitats.

We have a long way to go…..

#THANKYOU to all who care.

#dolphinwatch #conservation #dolphins #cetaceanrights #criticalhabitats #missionblue #hopespots #sanctuaries

#love #gratitude

One of the joys of non invasive longitudinal dolphin monitoring is being able to observe all nature of animals dealing with the difficulties they experience in their lives. The wonderful ways they adapt to these difficulties are absolutely inspiring and remind us of the very best of what life can offer. The similarities to the human condition with all its vagaries and differences is reflected on many levels in what happens with other species in nature.

This was illustrated perfectly on a number of surveys over many years with “Humpy” – a Bottlenose dolphin reappearing on a recent survey. First observed on our Citizen Science survey on Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures www.kimarineadventures.com.au in 2012, again in 2019 and again on Kangaroo Island Survey 244 in October 2024, as well as occasional sightings by Skipper Andrew Neighbour on KI Marine Adventures marine tours, Humpy has quite a pronounced hump in front of his/her dorsal fin.

Expert opinions, including our wonderful mentor Dr Mike Bossley AM suggest Humpy suffers from scoliosis – a spinal deformity which afflicts humans.  Together with other spinal issues including kyphosis, lordosis and similar conditions, the ability of dolphins to deal with such difficulties is admirable indeed, so much so that labelling as a “disability” seems unnecessary.

Long may amazing Humpy survive and thrive!

#dolphins #mammals #scoliosis #disabilities #adaptions #cetaceans #cetaceanrights #conservation #citizenscience #kangarooisland #missionblue #northcoast #hopespot

What a delight and absolute privilege it was to be involved in the 8^th Island Arks Symposium on Kangaroo Island last week. www.islandarkssymposium.com

The theme “‘Island Stewards: Caring for Land and Sea’ was chosen to recognise the role of land managers in supporting and developing our unique island lifestyles in a way that sustainably uses natural resources, whilst conserving and protecting the natural values that make each island unique. It seeks to highlight the relationship all island managers have as both users and protectors of an island’s resources.” 

To be surrounded by 131 delegates representing 24 islands with keynote speakers and 30 presentations from around Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, all with their own fascinating stories of environmental stewardship, conservation and care was absolutely exhilarating and truly inspirational.

Three days of quality presentations opened with renowned Science educator Professor Christopher Daniels outlining the importance of islands supporting biological diversity and highlighted fascinating key note presentations; Tiahni Adamson – 2024 Young South Australian of the Year, Threatened Species Commissioner Dr Fiona Fraser, Kangaroo Island’s own mechanical engineer and innovator Dr Nick Berry of Seed Terminator, ocean and climate advocate Tishiko King from the Torres Straits, the  Kaurna Firesticks Team – Quahli Newchurch, Clem Newchurch and Paul Dixon and NZ conservationist Jo Ritchie.

Our own presentation “Not Just An Island – Working towards global protection and conservation of dolphins and their habitat” was one of few dealing with the marine environment and well received. 

Hosted by the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board the symposium was a truly uplifting experience for all involved and General Manager Will Durack, event coordinator Sarah Kemp and team and the Island Arks Committee produced an extraordinarily high quality program and brilliant associated activities and catering, for all involved to learn from and enjoy. These included the Field Trip focussing on the KI Feral Cat Program, and delightful entertainment and treats at the KI Brewery www.kibeer.com.au Event Dinner – talented KI Musicians, the Two Richards and captivating and moving Bowerbird Collective www.bowerbirdcollective.org. Such a treat!

Our hearty congratulations and well done to all concerned in this magical extravaganza and an enormous THANKYOU!

For further details on this stunning Island Arks Symposium please refer to the excellent media coverage by the KI Landscape Board http://www.landscapesa.gov.au and The Islander Newspaper http://www.theislanderonline.com.au

Department for Environment and Water Citizen Science Grant 2023 – 2025

“The Citizen Science Fund was created to harness the power of South Australians who are enthusiastic about nature and want to contribute to the knowledge we collectively have about environmental conditions, as well as encouraging and valuing people’s engagement with their local environment.

I hope that this financial contribution to your project will support positive outcomes both for the project participants and our environment, and I wish you every success in the implementation of your Citizen Science project.”                                                                                                                                         Hon. Susan Close – Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water

http://www.environment.sa.gov.au 

Late in June 2023 we were delighted to receive confirmation from the Hon. Susan Close of a successful Environmental Citizen Science Small Grant from the Citizen Science Fund of $15,000 spread over 3 years.

“Informing Conservation through Citizen Science Data Collection”

“Dolphin movements, patterns, behaviours and preferred habitat are fundamental elements in conservation and protection of dolphins about which very little is known.”

As we review the 1^st year of this fantastic funding we can undoubtedly confirm that it IS a wonderful support for which we are truly grateful! Thankyou DEW!!

Support to maintain regular research effort on dolphin monitoring surveys on Kangaroo Island and in Victor Harbor is helping to consolidate greater knowledge and understandings, confirming the importance of significant aggregation points and those considered critical habitats.

An outstanding development last year was our magnificent Dolphin Watch Ambassador Melody Horrill joining us. We are absolutely thrilled, delighted and overjoyed to welcome on board wonderful journalist, environmentalist and dolphin champion Melody as our inspiring ambassador for the project. http://www.melodyhorrill.com

We are indebted to our wonderful operational partners KI Marine Adventures http://www.kimarineadventures.com.au The Big Duck Boat Tours http://www.thebigduck.com.au and I-Nex Corporation http://www.i-nex.com.au plus our fantastic mentors, collaborators, sponsors and supporters who all help to make it happen!

A huge thankyou to our core group of dedicated Citizen Scientists, community members and visiting volunteers who contribute, help and support our core business of dolphin conservation. Excellent media support from the Islander, Fleurieu Sun, Fleurieu App., The Times Victor Harbor, Seniors Magazine, Coast Lines Magazine, The Advertiser etc over the years has been wonderful.

It’s always a treat to welcome new volunteers on board!  Department for Environment and Water rangers and managers regularly join surveys in our region and contribute brilliantly to the photographic data collection. 

We all agree…….“Being in nature performing tasks of common purpose has enormous life-changing benefits to individuals and communities. Developing reattachment to the natural world, improving health / wellbeing, upskilling etc all connect communities enhancing conservation efforts, positive capacity building and meaningful life experiences”……..and we love it!

Looking forward to the next 2 years of wonderful DEW Citizen Science Fund support which means so much!! We are extremely grateful for this much needed injection of funds to support maintaining our research effort and improve the quality of our data collection. Thankyou!

#dolphinwatch #citizenscience #conservation #funding #support #love #gratitude

Thankyou so much to our wonderful Kangaroo Island / Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch Ambassador Melody Horrill for the following media release and images.

Footage captured by KI/VH Dolphin Watch and photographs by volunteer, Peter Fuller have graced a video from internationally renowned ethologist and conservationist, Dr Jane Goodall DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger for peace.

The video, edited by SA cameraman Stephen Sard, featured beautiful footage of wild dolphins frolicking off the K.I coast along with stunning pictures by Peter Fuller. The visuals were used as an example of how dolphins live in the wild and why they should not be kept in captivity. The video was played to the Flemish parliament by Dr. Koen Margodt, co-chair of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean Committee during a presentation where he argued for the release of six dolphins in the Flanders dolphinarium. Dr Margodt pleaded with the parliament for the dolphins to be transferred to a coastal sanctuary, under development off Greece, so they can live out their lives in a natural, more enriching environment. Dr Goodall, Dr Margodt and the committee’s co-chair and KI/VH dolphin watch Ambassador, Melody Horrill also co-authored a letter to the Flemish parliament asking members to no longer allow the keeping of dolphins in tanks.

Dr Jane Goodall on moving dolphins from dolphinariums to sea side sanctuaries (youtube.com)

Dolphins are highly intelligent, live in complex communities, have personalities and emotional lives, develop strong social bonds and use tools. The mammals have evolved to live in rich ocean habitats, with some ranging for hundreds of kilometres and diving hundreds of metres deep.

They argue that tanks simply cannot replicate the wild. They are monotonous, empty and barren environments that cannot provide dolphins with the psychological, emotional, social and environmental enrichment they need. Dr Koen, Melody and Dr Goodall pointed to research that shows dolphins may experience stress and frustration in captivity and become depressed and listless. They maintain that there is no conservation value in keeping dolphins in tanks as most species are not endangered. Additionally, people cannot learn about dolphins through watching them perform in captivity as they are experiencing a shadow of their wild cousins. Dr Margodt alikens dolphinariums to circuses that used wild animals. Such enterprises are no longer wildly accepted, so how is it that dolphinariums are?

The tide is turning and a growing number of people around the world believe that captivity is not acceptable. However, dolphins that have been in tanks for years cannot be released into the wild as they’ve become institutionalised. The Jane Goodall Cetacean Committee is supporting the creation of a series of global coastal sanctuaries where former performing dolphins can live in a more natural environment, where they can swim for large distances, dive to deep depths and have the opportunity to hunt for their own food while being monitored and cared for by people.

In a recent interview with 5AA Melody Horrill suggested that an area off the KI coast may well be a perfect location for such a sanctuary in the future….providing refuge for former captive dolphins in the Asia Pacific region.

Meantime, people are being urged to do their research before visiting dolphinariums. Without visitors buying tickets, such places cannot exist.

To Dr Jane Goodall www.janegoodall.org.au, Dr Koen Margot www.koenmargodt.com and Melody Horrill www.melodyhorrill.com our heartfelt thanks, love and gratitude.

The fantastic support offered by The Big Duck Boat Tours over almost 13 years has taken another quantum leap through their latest environmental initiative. www.thebigduck.com.au

By offering their passengers the opportunity to support local environmental programs through direct donations as part of their Environmental and Research Project Initiatives – an optional $5 donation for online tour bookings and donating funds is a wonderful boon to us, providing much needed funding and resourcing for ongoing survey effort. This brilliant value adding type of experience links perfectly to Research Tourism, a burgeoning area of tourism throughout the world. 

The desire of visitors to give back and assist is a marvellous way of helping, both to educate people and give them a chance to be involved in supporting programs which seek to improve sustainability of biodiversity.

This highly credentialed, award winning ocean marine tour company on the South Coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia is an excellent example of everything good in Eco-tourism – ocean adventures, Victor Harbor and islands tours, Wirrina Cove tours and private charters, plus their sister company Spirit of the Coorong. www.spiritofthecoorong.com.au

Their support of our efforts to enhance conservation and protection of dolphins, operating their wonderful vessels at significantly reduced rates for surveys in our regional waters (even throwing in a number of surveys at no cost over the years!) has been a game changer, for us and the dolphins. To now hear, of this wonderful extra support from The Big Duck since January 2024 is fantastic! We wish to offer our grateful thanks to Michael and Bianca Veenstra and Team Big Duck Boat Tours for everything.

It is not just about the money – it is the recognition of the many hours of effort by the Kangaroo Island / Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch Citizen Science volunteers engaged in vital research effort, Team Big Duck’s brilliant collaboration, help and support and the generous passengers offering their support!

What it is to be acknowledged and supported – we are forever grateful!

We LOVE The Big Duck!

#thebigduck #environmentalresearch #sponsorship #donations #support #collaboration  #dolphins #citizenscience #victorharbor #fleurieupeninsula #encounterbay #southaustralia

#THANKYOU #love #gratitude 

Kangaroo Island / Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch were delighted to welcome their wonderful Ambassador Melody Horrill http://www.melodyhorrill.com and her partner Grant Robb for Survey 239 on Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures http://www.kimarineadventures.com.au on February 14^th to Dashwood Bay in the middle of the Mission Blue Kangaroo Island North Coast Hope Spot. http://www.missionblue.org

Other special guests were Dolphin Watch collaborator Eleni Atsikbasis – Mission Blue Hope Spot Champion for the Lesvos Hope Spot on the island of Lesvos in Greece with her associates Patricia and Nicholas. Nicholas is performing a role as a two-way youth ambassador between Australia and Greece over the next two years as he completes his secondary schooling at St Peters College in Adelaide.

The Lesvos Mission Blue research initiative engages science and society to protect, preserve, and revitalize the Aegean Sea using a citizen-science approach. It aims to ensure that the Aegean Archipelago is sustainably managed, safe and flourishing with marine life while the society is supported and empowered.

Eleni is the founder of ‘Healing Lesvos’ not-for-profit organization, http://www.healinglesvos.org made up of passionate people who care about protecting their community – the ocean, waters, beaches, now and in the future. ‘Healing Lesvos’ in conjunction with the University of the Aegean aims to set up a prototype of best practices that can be adopted by other islands or regions in Greece and the Mediterranean, with an emphasis on environmental conservation through the engagement of youth and empowerment of the most vulnerable social groups, including refugees.

Eleni and partner Chris Kourakis had previously joined Survey 142 in Victor Harbor in December 2023 on the Big Duck Boat Tours http://www.thebigduck.com.au following Eleni participating in her first Dolphin Watch Survey 132 in Victor Harbor in February 2023.

Wonderful to be collaborating with such a passionate advocate for marine biodiversity and for her to meet and connect with Dolphin Watch Ambassador Melody who similarly is a highly regarded, tremendously experienced marine conservationist. A match made not just in Heaven but in nature.

Melody is an amazingly accomplished author, journalist, producer and dolphin advocate who brings to Dolphin Watch a wonderful breadth of knowledge, skills, acumen and passion – it means an immense amount to the project! An integral part of the team with our Dolphin Watch mentor Dr Mike Bossley AM, which saw the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary declared in 2005, and the formation of the then Australian Dolphin Research Foundation, Melody has acted as a Board Member of the Dolphin Research Institute and has more recently taken up a role as Co-chair of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean Committee. www.janegoodall.org

It was as if the dolphins were fully aware of the special nature of the remarkable survey as they were observed in large numbers. Seventy plus Bottlenose dolphins with two calves, one new, and a number of juveniles surrounded the vessel while they rested, socialised and played in the turquoise waters.

A delightful display for the special guests and first time volunteers Artist Cecilia Gunnarsson and husband Colin joining regular Citizen Science volunteers. A debrief at the Kangaroo Island Brewery www.kibeer.com.au allowed the crew to share their delight at the brilliant observations of dolphins totally at ease in their critical habitat, and the urgent need for greater protection and conservation.

Dolphin Watch sincerely thank Ambassador Melody, Hope Spot Champion Eleni, special guests, wonderful Citizen Science crew and as always, fantastic Skipper Andrew Neighbour.

When amazing passionate souls who care about dolphins and their habitats come together, magic happens.

#ambassador #hopespots #champions #specialguests #collaborations #missionblue #magic

#love #gratitude