Port River: Tragedy as two more baby dolphins die

Two more newborn dolphins have died in the Port River over the past week, leaving no surviving calves from this summer’s breeding season.

Two more newborn dolphins have died in the Port River over the past week, leaving no surviving calves from this summer’s breeding season.

There are also serious concerns about Squeak, the only survivor of last year’s bumper season of eight calves, who has been seen with fishing line wrapped around its nose and looking distressed.

The tragedies have left the dolphin-watching community of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary heartbroken and asking serious questions about the safety of the Port River.

The two babies are Merlin, who was born last month to mum Dinah, and Tinsel, who was seen as a beacon of joy at Christmas after a tragic year of loss in the sanctuary last year.

It’s yet another tragedy for dolphin expert Mike Bossley, who said the death rate was now exceeding the natural rate expected for a wild dolphin pod.

“It may be a statistical blip but the ‘normal’ — i.e. previous — death rate here was around 50 per cent,” he said.

Baby Tinsel snapped in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary on January 5. Picture: Sharon Sharp

Whale and Dolphin Conservation volunteer Marianna Boorman said in positive news, three new babies of unknown dolphins had been seen in the river lately.

“But it is very concerning that the mortality rate of the calves of the resident dolphins is so high and has increased over the last couple of years,” Ms Boorman said.

“It is particularly heartbreaking that since 2015 Sparkle and Ripple have now both lost their last three calves.”

The latest death puts more pressure on Transport Minister Stephan Knoll to release his final plan to reduce speed limits in the sanctuary.

It has been four months since Mr Knoll revealed his draft plan, which recommended reducing the speed limit to seven knots in vast tracts of the Port River.

That plan — which came in the wake of Messenger Community News’ Protect Our Dolphins campaign — maintained the current unlimited speed limits outside the Adelaide Speedboat Club and in the Barker Inlet.

The campaign to lower speed limits in the sanctuary was mounted after the death of dolphin calf Holly early last year. An autopsy found that Holly was a healthy baby who died as a result of blunt trauma.

Dr Bossley has said that was most likely caused by a boat. He has written to Mr Knoll asking for a meeting to find out when the final plan will be released.