GRAPHIC IMAGE WARNING
A second Mandurah dolphin has died in less than a week, while nearby a group of four found themselves stranded in shallow water.
The dolphin named River was found on Wednesday at the Coodanup foreshore.
River’s death comes shortly after Daweville dolphin Wild Turkey’s calf was found dead.
Mandurah Estuary Guardians revealed that River had almost reached full term in her pregnancy before she died.
“She was an important member of the resident Mandurah dolphin population and one who not only had scars from stranding, had lost calves, but also bore a fishing line entanglement around her right pectoral flipper for years,” they shared on social media.
“She should be in the prime of life.”
Dr Krista Nicholson from the Mandurah Dolphin Research Project wrote that she wasn’t able to perform a necropsy to find out River’s cause of death.
“River proves nothing is easy about being a resident dolphin here. And we must do all we can, to protect them,” Dr Nicholson shared.
“Sadly, in June 2020, she was entangled in fishing line on her right pectoral fin. For almost four years, this entanglement slowly cut more and more into the pectoral fin.
“She lost her first calf. Then in 2022, she gave birth to her second calf, who sadly, only a few months old, also passed away.
“It is important to remember that although entangled in fishing line, her death may not be related to it. Dolphins in the Mandurah waterways who frequent the rivers appear to lose calves and their own lives at a higher rate than those who use the rivers less, if at all.”
On Thursday, a pod of four dolphins were stranded at Samphire Cove by the low tide.
DBCA and volunteer rescuers watched over the males Yoyo and Tooth, Christmas and her calf Jingles.
“For some Mandurah dolphins confinement stranding can be a semi-regular occurrence, and many have learnt to navigate such situations, waiting for the higher tide, as in this case,” the Estuary Guardians shared.
“However ideally they should still be observed from a distance till safe, in case they leave too early.
“Mandurah is a dolphin stranding hotspot, especially in summer and spring, when severe low tides and high temperatures can make stranding life-threatening.
“Always call the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055 and message us if you see a stranding situation.”
