A story about Tin Can Bay Dolphins. Please sign the petition ...

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Today, I took a ferry over to the lovely Tin Can Bay to feed wild dolphins.

This is where you have the opportunity to feed the resident wild dolphins, Mystique and Patch. Mystique, the 19 year old alpha male and Patch, the 23 year old female. Both endangered Indo Pacific humpback dolphins.

The first of the dolphins to come to Tin Can Bay was Mystique's grandfather who had been badly injured from a shark attack and beached himself ashore. The local fisherman nursed him back to health and set him back into the waters on recovery. He remembered the fisherman and returned regularly for a little bit of fish. This tradition passed down to Mystique's parents and he is now passing it down to his pod.

To feed the dolphins, you buy two fish from the volunteers and wade into the water with them whilst they wait patiently for their morning feed (which is only 10% of their daily intake so as not to become reliant on humans.)

I thought I'd freak out at having to touch dead fish but it was surprisingly OK. I made my way into the water, took out a fish and handed it to Patch who gently took it out of my hand and patiently waited for fish number 2. She was lovely!

It was the cutest thing to watch little kids run into the water, look amazed as they saw what was in there and then get scared and give the fish to their parents! If you didn't want to feed the dolphins, it was free to just go to the bay and get in the water with them before feeding time.

After your turn feeding them, you could go back into the water until the volunteers leave. As soon as the volunteers get out the water, the dolphins know that there is no more fish and leave to go find the rest of their breakfast.

The sad thing is though, and the reason why I'm writing about this short trip is that there are plans to build a marina exactly where the dolphins feed. Lots of big, expensive boats but no more dolphins. It would be a tragedy if future generations (of humans and dolphins) were to miss out on this and I ask anyone reading to go to http://www.marina.tincanbaydolphins.com.au/index.html

and click.

Thanks

http://www.marina.tincanbaydolphins.com.au/index.html

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