Labrador local photographs bottle-nosed dolphins mating in Gold Coast Broadwater
A threesome of frisky dolphins has been caught on camera frolicking in the Broadwater, giving residents of a Labrador high-rise an eyeful of their amorous antics. PHOTOS, BABY DOLPHIN FACTS>>
Gold Coast
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A THREESOME of frisky dolphins has been caught on camera frolicking in the Broadwater, giving residents of a Labrador high-rise an eyeful of their amorous antics.
Long-time Labrador local Barney Enders captured a series of snaps of the rarely-photographed encounter from his balcony.
“There were two bulls and one cow, right out in front of the Aqua building,” he said.
“We were sitting on our balcony looking straight down on them – they were swirling and splashing.
“We’ll be hoping for a little calf in about 12 months time – we’re going to name it Aqua.”
Sea World marine mammal specialist Richelle Reading said the creatures pictured were Inshore or Indo-Pacific Bottle-nosed Dolphins, who were likely permanent residents of the Broadwater.
“In the photos you can see a female and an excited male, it’s natural behaviour and it’s very exciting to see,” she said.
“Dolphins can breed at any time of the year.
“They are very social species, you’ll generally see them in pods or groups of up to 20.
‘It’s very normal to have many other pod members around when they are copulating.”
Gestation for a bottle-nosed dolphin is 12-13 months, so Mr Enders may see little Aqua emerge in time for next Christmas, Ms Reading said.
“Some pods are resident and some are transient and like to constantly travel,” she said.
“There are a lot of resident dolphins in the Broadwater area, so it’s likely these animals live in the Broadwater.
“Dolphins are born tail first, and as soon as the head emerges, the mother will help it rise to the surface to take its first breath.”
Ms Reading said the dorsal and fins of dolphins were as unique as a fingerprint and researchers would be able to tell which individuals from the photos had previously been observed in the area.
“We’ll send those dorsal fin photos down to Dolphin Research Australia, which has a great catalogue.”
Facts about baby dolphins:
* Dolphins are folded in two while in the womb, and their “neonatal fold” can be seen for days after their birth
* Dolphins are born with little whiskers on their noses to help them find their mother’s milk
* When they are born, a dolphin calf’s dorsal and tailfins are floppy, stiffening up within two weeks
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