Wednesday 20 August 2008

Wild Dolphins Tail Walking

I know it's not a very creative title, but I'm just nicking the title from the BBC.

You would expect that something interesting in the realm of science would appear in, I don't know, The Advertiser but it hasn't.

From what I can gather, Billie picked up the trick when she was taken to a dolphinarium when she was injured and she taught the other dolphins in the Port to do this trick.

I had better explain that sentence a little better.

Port Adelaide is home to the Port River Dolphins. This pod lives in the Port River and along the Barker inlet. These dolphins are the only wild dolphins that live within a city.

Naturally they are also something of a tourist attraction. I guess people can sort of ignore the rather ugly Port when they are looking at dolphins.

Anyway, the scientists don't seem to have a clue as yet as to why they are tail walking. I know that they wouldn't be getting food out of it from the tourists because you can't feed them. I suspect that the boats might have a little to do with it though, maybe helping to stir up fish or something so maybe they are trying to get more people out there so they can eat more.

I personally have no idea.

Billie, the dolphin mentioned in the story is a wild one, as all of the dolphins in the Port are. She is also one of the first dolphins to have been found there.

Either way, if you are ever in Adelaide, you should make the attempt to see the Port River Dolphins. There are also quite a few museums in the area that you can look at as well.

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