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New addition to Monkey Mia
Date : 11/08/2006
THE pregnancy of one of Monkey Mia's world famous attractions may soon give tourists a new dolphin to feed.
Environment Minister Mark McGowan said the Department of Environment and Conservation would try to introduce 11-year-old female Shock to the group of four hand-fed dolphins that regularly visit the beach.
He said an attempt to introduce Shock to the feeding program last year was unsuccessful, even though she showed a lot of interest in visiting the beach and interacting with rangers.
``Experience has revealed that that pregnant dolphins are more likely to join the daily interaction,'' he said.
``And it appears that Shock is now expecting her first calf, so we are hopeful she will become one of the regulars during the feeding time.''
The daughter of regular beach-visitor Surprise, Shock already visits the beach daily with her family group.
Mr McGowan said that dolphins were not introduced to the program until they are old enough to ensure that they have sufficient time to be weaned from their mothers and develop all the necessary feeding behaviours of adult dolphins.
``Introducing a fifth dolphin to the interaction group will enable more visitors to get the chance to feed a dolphin during their stay,'' Mr McGowan said.
"Although feeding dolphins is generally on top of the list of things to do when visiting Monkey Mia, people also enjoy being close to dolphins behaving naturally in the wild.''
Mr McGowan said studies showed that juvenile females born to adult dolphins that were used to being hand-fed were the best candidates as they were less likely to change the natural social relationships of the group.
The trial will be monitored by Dr Amy Samuels from the United States-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Dr Samuels is an experienced researcher who has studied the dolphins at Monkey Mia for 15 years.
If the trial is successful, Shock will follow in the wake of Piccolo who was introduced to the feeding group in October 2002.
``Introducing new dolphins to the group that comes in for feeding and undertaking the necessary research to ensure the welfare of the dolphins is not compromised will ensure the amazing interaction experience available to visitors to Monkey Mia is secured into the future," Mr McGowan said.
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Source: Perth Now - Sunday Times