The incredible tale of Billie the Port River dolphin — the world’s first wild tailwalker

BILLIE was the first wild dolphin in the world to walk on water — and become best friends with a local racehorse and dog. Ashleigh Pisani reports on her wonderful life in the Port River.

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Billie was the world’s first wild “tailwalker” — and the one who taught other Port River dolphins this incredible feat.

She first came to attention in 1987, when she was photographed swimming side-by-side with racehorse trainer Sandy Sandford’s horse and dog.

Mr Sandford used to train his horses in the river and was surprised when one day he saw a young dolphin swimming next to them. The young dolphin then returned every morning to frolic with the horses.

He named her “Billy”, which was later was changed to Billie when it was discovered she was female.

A pregnant Bille tailwalking in 2009. Picture: Supplied.

Billie disappeared from the river in 1988 and was eventually found trapped in the Patawolonga at Glenelg.

She was rescued and placed in Marineland, a marine parkthat opened at West Beach in 1969 and closed shortly after Billie’s release in 1988.

It was there Billie learnt to tailwalk — ‘standing’ upright and running backwards along the water line — by copying Marineland’s captive dolphins.

When she returned to the Port River, Billie would perform this trick in the wild and soon other dolphins, including her good friend Wave, began to mimic her.

Wave was a natural and would often be seen doing 50 tailwalks or more each day.

She passed this skill onto her daughter, Ripple, who — although not as prolific as her mother — is also a talented performer.

Wave tailwalking. Picture: Jenni Wyrsta

Marine biologist Dr Mike Bossley, who has spent the past 30 years researching the Port River dolphins, says this shows how highly intelligent our dolphins are — and why it is so important that we protect them.

Billie died of kidney failure in her mid-20s in 2009 — decades before she should have. All those years in a polluted waterway hadn’t helped.

The Port River dolphins have a high mortality rate which is exacerbated by water pollution and speeding boats.

Ripple did not get the chance to pass on her talent for tailwalking to her calves as both of them died as infants.

Her first calf, Marea, died in 2015 and was found to have high levels of chemicals in her body and her second calf, Holly, died weeks after birth last December after being hit by a boat.

Despite the highest baby boom in the river in nearly a decade, Holly is one of four calves out of seven to die this season.

A recent report by the South Australian museum found that 17 out of 35 dolphin fatalities in the past 13 years were caused by speeding boats.

The Protect Our Dolphins (POD) campaign is trying to make the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary a safer place for the Port River bottlenoses.

With the support of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, the Messenger Community News campaign has started a petition — with more than 7000 signatures — calling for a blanket 10 knot speed limit in the sanctuary.

Marine biologist Dr Mike Bossley and a leaping dolphin in 1991.

Currently, the speed limit ranges from 4 knots to unlimited — a situation that has been described as “inappropriate” for a designated dolphin sanctuary — and our dolphins are paying the price.

“The number of different speed limits within the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is confusing to boaties and inappropriate for dolphin protection,” Dr Bossley said.

“In some areas, it is sensible to actually increase the speed limit for the convenience of boaties.

“In other areas, particularly where it’s shallow, it needs to be reduced.

“Ten knots throughout would reduce confusion and better protect dolphins.”