Port River dolphin calf Galaxy’s body retrieved by rangers
Conservationists hope the necropsy to be performed on six-month-old dolphin Galaxy, whose body was removed from the Port River on Sunday, will give some answers as to why so many calves are dying.
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Dolphin Galaxy has become the latest calf to die in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.
Galaxy’s body was found and removed by rangers on Sunday, and a necropsy will now be performed on the six-month-old dolphin.
Conservationist Marianna Boorman was “heartbroken” at Galaxy’s death.
“The good thing was the rangers were able to collect the body … which might be able to help us know what actually happened,” Ms Boorman said.
She said Galaxy’s mum, Tiffany, was seen with lesions on both her sides of her body on July 11.
“That was when we first noticed Galaxy was missing,” she said.
“Galaxy brought quite a lot of joy to so many of us and we were fortunate to have the short time we had with him but it should have been a lot longer.”
She said dolphin watchers were now concerned about Tiffany’s health, because she has not been spotted for several weeks.
Ms Boorman said Galaxy was the only calf born in the Port River this year.
“We’re just devastated that he did not make it,” she said.
“Unfortunately a couple of calves born last year also did not survive.”
She said more than half the dolphins born in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary were not surviving – a figure that had increased in the past few years.
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The last calf to survive was Squeak, who was born two and a half years ago.
“In the last three years, we have had 10 out of 12 calves pass away,” Ms Boorman said
“It is devastating that so many calves have passed away.
“We need to be doing all we can to help protect the rest of the pod and future calves born in the area.”
Galaxy’s sister Star was found dead in December last year, with 12 hooks in her throat and fishing line wrapped around her jaw.
Ms Boorman said dolphins faced many threats, including boat propellers, pollution, getting entangled in fishing line and sharks.