101 Plus

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Enya, Anna and Keisha celebrate the 101st field survey amongst the dolphins at Dashwood Bay. Image courtesy of Neill Bell

The 101st field survey saw a return to Dashwood Bay after some months absence due to weather conditions. As always it provided a delightful experience for all onboard with 18 bottlenose appearing in close proximity, displaying considerable interest in the survey crew. We were delighted to welcome onboard students from Investigator College who are involved in the Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch programme on the mainland. For Joseph and Danny it was a very different experience to the one they are used to, with totally different sea conditions to those experienced in Encounter Bay. Calm conditions and good visibility allowed for excellent data collection and observation.

A celebration lunch followed at project sponsors and supporters Aurora Ozone Hotel, concluding a great day with an enthusiastic crew and a number of animals recorded, including some new identifications for the expanding catalogue. The 100th field survey took place with Lameroo Schools enjoying their 5th annual KI Dolphin Watch experience on 28th October with very different weather conditions! 28 field surveys have taken place in 2011 to date, with the amount of data awaiting editing and cataloguing expanding accordingly.

 

 

Lameroo at Sea

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Lameroo Schools on Dolphin Watch on KI Marine Adventures at North Cape, Kangaroo Island

For unusual elements of Dolphin Watch there is probably nothing quite like the involvement of the students from Lameroo Schools in the Mallee region close to the South Australian – Victorian border. On their annual visit to Kangaroo Island these students from an inland farming district participate in field surveys to help collect data for the KI ID catalogue. For some students this is their first time on a boat, for others their first time at sea and for all it is a fantastic and fascinating experience. Their efforts at collecting data and images are always first rate and help immensely in overall research effort.

Over the 5 years of involvement, Lameroo teacher Maureen Steinborner has experienced it all, from mirror glass conditions to drenching rain, high winds and sloppy seas and the seasickness that invariably eventuates. The efforts of the students were highlighted in an Advertiser Newspaper article written by Education Now Editor Martina Simos last year following their visit. The innovative approach to Science education which Dolphin Watch provides had piqued her interest and it continues to arouse interest as a means of engaging students in this area of the curriculum in many educational sectors. Dolphin Watch stalwart KI Marine Adventures skipper Andrew Neighbour went out of his way, as in past years, to provide an exciting experience, demonstrating Hamilton stops and other thrilling manoeuvres with “Island Explorer”. Pete Nash, a professional photographer and long term Dolphin Watch volunteer, explained the unobtrusive techniques employed by Dolphin Watch, outlined the strategies involved in collecting data to the group and helped them refine their photographic capabilities. The group of students and accompanying adults, 24 in all, requiring use of a backup crayboat provided once again by local crayfisher Phil Robinson, was rewarded amply for their determined efforts with over 20 dolphins frolicking around the boat for an extended period.

Our grateful thanks once again to the Lameroo Schools and to all involved for their invaluable input to our research effort.

 

 

SA Premiers NRM Award Finalist 2011

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Andrew Inglis and Cecelia Woolford presenting the award to Tony Bartram

On Wednesday October 26th KI Dolphin Watch volunteers Tony and Phyll Bartram attended the 2011 Premier’s NRM and Landcare Awards at “The Observatory” in Adelaide. KI Dolphin Watch were presented with the Premier’s Natural Resources Management Finalist Award by Andrew Inglis; Presiding Member of the NRM Council and Cecelia Woolford; Chair of the NRM Volunteer Committee. The award recognised “outstanding contribution to the sustainable management of South Australia’s natural resources” in the category of Community Engagement. Sincere thanks to the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board for nominating the project and in particular Bev Maxwell for writing the submission, in acknowledgement of the outstanding efforts of KI Dolphin Watch students, volunteers and supporters.

Photograph courtesy of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Oceanic Common Dolphins Display On Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch

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Common Dolphin named "Shark" by the students

Blustery conditions and one metre swells made the conditions uncomfortable for some crew members on the latest Investigator College field survey with skipper Dan Irvine on The Big Duck Boat Tours on October 26th. The trademark enthusiasm and capable nature of the students was again clearly evident and after recording excellent observational data about a pod of nine dolphins at Shark Alley off Wright Island, they ventured further out off the Bluff to be rewarded with a sighting of Oceanic Common Dolphins. These beautiful creatures, smaller and more highly coloured than their inshore Bottlenose relatives, gave a high octane display of high speed fishing manoeuvres delighting everyone. Again the students’ skills came to the fore allowing for good, coherent data to be collected for this observation – no mean feat given the conditions.The Commons were absent the following day however when the SA Whale Centre volunteers ventured out under much better conditions. They too were able to record data about a group of five Bottlenose dolphins off Wright Island and a female and calf appearing off Granite Island breakwater on the return journey. PhD candidate Nardi Cribb from Flinders University was on board and met with KI Dolphin Watch Coordinators Tony and Phyll to discuss data entry, methods and project progress etc, prior to the survey.
Congratulations and thankyou to Investigator College teacher Renee Drew and students, SA Whale Centre volunteer Nedra Haines and fellow volunteers and Nardi for their fantastic work, help and support, and to Dan and Katie for making it all possible.

Kid Teaching Kids National River Health Conference 2011

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Kids Teaching Kids Conference Team on a field survey October 19th 2011

Students from the three campuses of Kangaroo Island Community Education presented workshops to groups of 30 + students from all around Australia at the national River Health Conference in Adelaide last week.

Supported by teachers Jennie Teasdale and Dan Grieves, student leader and long term KI Dolphin Watcher Kaitlin Taylor of Kingscote led the team consisting of James and Belinda from Penneshaw Campus, Jorrelie and Ryan from Parndana Campus and Emily from Kingscote Campus, through the fantastic enriching experience these conferences provide.

The KICE students demonstrated the matching of photographs of individual dolphins’ dorsal fins to the KI Dolphin Watch ID catalogue and the complexities involved in using this unobtrusive but labour intensive technique, recording patterns of dolphin movement and behaviour, while also monitoring the habitat and recording environmental data. They also ran quizzes and games to raise awareness and expand knowledge about dolphins, which surprisingly are listed as data deficient on IUCN lists. Congratulations and thankyou to all concerned for your fantastic work!!!

http://www.kidsteachingkids.com.au/conferences/2for011-int-kids-teaching-kids-river

 

Gill Netting Banned in KI Waters

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Common Dolphin washed up at Island Beach on KIÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â June 3rd 2011

Success!! Great news just in. Fantastic that gill netting has been banned but what a pity a large number of mortalities had to occur before such an action was taken. The indefinite nature of the ban ensuring ongoing monitoring is particularly pleasing given the number of mortalities on Kangaroo Island recently. Let’s hope this action sees an end to these horrific deaths for these beautiful creatures.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/rise-in-dolphin-deaths-prompts-calls-for-permanent-fishing-ban/story-e6frea83-1226144935413

 

Wildlife Australia Magazine

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    Wildlife Australia Magazine                     Spring Edition Cover           Â

“Walking with Dolphins: Kangaroo Island Dolphin Watch”

WILDLIFE AUSTRALIA Magazine – Spring 2011

A fantastic magazine doing amazing things for the environment and so well worth subscribing to. Thanks so much to Editor Saren Starbridge and staff for their support, enthusiasm and passion.

http://www.wildlife.org.au/magazine/editions/2011/spring/index.html

Victor Harbor Success

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SA Whale Centre Volunteers at work

The latest Victor Harbor field surveys provided a mixed bag in terms of observations and experiences. The SA Whale Centre Volunteers’ survey, coordinated by Nedra Haines, saw research effort expanded from Encounter Bay, past the Bluff to Petrel Cove and Kings Beach without any dolphin sightings, until returning to Granite Island where 17 dolphins, including a number of calves, appeared and undertook a short period of interaction with supporter Dan Irvine’s “The Big Duck” and crew. All this and a Southern Right Whale and its calf off Shark Island on the way out – quite a thrill for all concerned. The students from Investigator College were not so lucky the following day in their field survey as the same course was covered through Petrel Cove then eastwards to Port Elliot without any si htings recorded. The datacollected the previous day became the central focus accordingly and a number of new animals were added to the catalogue which has now grown to over 50 animals.This is quite remarkable given the limited research effort to date and is an absolute credit to teacher Renee Drew, students and volunteers.

Upper Spencer Gulf Field Surveys

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John Pirie High School students at work

A highly successful WDCS POD Watch road trip was undertaken to the Upper Spencer Gulf region during August. New Coast and Marine Teacher at Whyalla High School, Reshniel Chandra showed enormous enthusiasm and commitment to the programme. Supported by funding from One Steel and the Eyre Peninsula NRM, this is a project with considerable potential for continuing impact in this very important area. Issues regarding development, with potential impacts upon the Giant Cuttlefish breeding area at Pt Lowly and surrounding environments plus dolphin feeding in the Whyalla marina, continue to be central to considerations for ongoing educational programmes. Port Augusta Secondary School undertook its second expedition with enthusiastic teacher Jaya Nair in a series of ongoing field surveys, brilliantly supported by Aaron Morgan of Flinders Ranges Water Cruises and in spite of an extensive search of the survey areas, only two dolphins; Joy and calf Joseph were observed. At Port Pirie John Pirie High School students with long term POD Watch teacher Tegan Whittard surveyed Ward Spit yielding outstanding results with over 17 animals observed and recorded, including a number of catalogued animals. A brilliant result coordinated by skipper Kevin Pallant to show a new group of students what the area actually provides, but sadly the second boat normally skippered by Trevor Thomas was unavailable due to his poor health – a huge loss in observation potential and local knowledge. All the best for a return to good health to Trevor and special thanks for his invaluable input.

“Tracking Cetaceans for Conservation” National Science Week 2011

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Dr Mike Bossley AM 's Science Week Presentation - explanation of tailwalking

A good crowd attended the National Science Week event on Thursday 18th August at the superb Aurora Ozone Hotel Conference Centre to listen to speakers Dr Mike Bossley AM and Juliet Shrimpton. The “Tracking Cetaceans for Conservation” theme saw Mike; a global Cetacean expert and mentor of KI Dolphin Watch, talk about the culture of learning and communication in the animal world and with respect to Bottlenose dolphins in particular. Juliet followed to inform the crowd about the role of Marine Mammal Observers in relation to seismic testing, and the limitations of this role. These presentations were both particularly pertinent given recent observations of the dolphin behaviour of tailwalking on Kangaroo Island and the likely possibility of seismic testing beginning on oil and gas exploration leases off the Western end of the island. The delicious supper provided by the Aurora Ozone allowed the opportunity for community members to discuss issues raised with the speakers. A number of audience members joined other community members on a field survey with Mike and Juliet, hosted by Adult Community Education and KICE students on Friday morning and even drizzly conditions did not dampen their spirits and enthusiasm. Eleven dolphins were observed and new identifications made at a number of sites from South Beacon to North Cape. KI Dolphin Watch would like to thank the exceptional speakers, KI Dolphin Watch partners and supporters; WDCS, KI Marine Adventures, KI Sealink, the Aurora Ozone Hotel, KINRMB and DENR, and Phil and Craig Robinson, and all participants for their support. A South Australian Community Grant through the Department for Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology made the event possible, supporting National Science Week events to demonstrate the significance of a community approach to highlighting the importance of Science.