In late 1987 a photograph appeared in the Adelaide Advertiser. It showed a young dolphin and a horse swimming together in the gray light of early dawn. The photo attracted Dr Mike Bossley’s interest and initiated a 34 year study of the local dolphins which continues to this day. The accessibility of the local population allows us to follow and interact with these wonderful creatures on a daily basis.

Following years of lobbying by Mike and others, the Port River and its environs have been declared a Dolphin Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is regularly patrolled by government rangers, supported by a committed group of volunteers. There have been stabbings, shootings, boat strikes and entanglements. We cannot relax in our attempts to protect these dolphins and the environment on which they depend.

As well as Mike’s observations and data collection, WDC works closely with the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Action Group who assist the Sanctuary rangers in watching over the local population. The Action Group conducts land and water-based surveys, community engagement over specific issues, educational programs, and stranding and entanglement incidents. A good example of this was with the recent concern over people feeding dolphins, causing behavioural changes that can lead to death. Group volunteers placed signs, spoke to individuals and distributed leaflets to deter the harmful practice.

While research and patrolling remain a priority for WDC in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, areas for future development include a comprehensive water testing program for the Port River, improving industrial and stormwater runoff and educating on the need to follow the required boat speeds.

Another requirement for the Sanctuary is the establishment of a Dolphin Interpretive Centre on the banks of the Port River. An interpretive centre is needed to further educate the public on the need to protect our dolphins and to provide increased security through a system of outdoor cameras.

• Allow a dedicated exhibit space accommodating the general public as well as school and community groups.
• Allow for a user-friendly, interactive multimedia experience using video cameras and underwater
  microphones around the sanctuary environs.
• As well as being a tourist attraction in its own right, the Centre could combine with existing tourist activities, such as the dolphin cruise boats. This would help make the Centre the fulcrum for all dolphin enthusiasts in the Port region and expand these activities in a controlled fashion that would ensure the sustainable existence of the dolphin population.
• Provide a home for the storing and docking of vessels associated with monitoring and surveying of the dolphin population. At the moment, research on the river is conducted by NGO groups like WDCS, Sanctuary rangers, the SA Museum and academic institutions. The Centre would provide the opportunity to collate all this information.
• Provide space for the SA Museum’s activities with cetaceans. The State has very limited resources to treat injured or traumatised cetaceans.

The centre should provide patrons with a “dolphin’s eye” view of life in the Port River estuary. This will help people understand the threats dolphins face and help establish an emotional connection between people and dolphins. A multimedia facility incorporating an array of remote video cameras and underwater microphones spread around the Sanctuary feeding images and sound back to the Centre where visitors can experience dolphins in any specific site in ‘real time’. This technology would also double as a security device highlighting any physical threat to the dolphins or their habitat. It could also prove useful for tourism operators.