Posted By: mikk
A 'fishy' story - 03/28/03 10:29 AM
I had an amazing experience this week. I was touring through south-eastern Queensland – just driving where the mood directed! - and ended up in a place called ‘Tin Can Bay’ - a little seaside village. I spent a relaxing day driving around and walking on the very nicely kept shoreline tracks. I decided to look at the one place I hadn’t been – down by the marina. When I got out of the car I noticed 6 or 8 people standing knee deep in the water – couldn’t see what they were doing so wandered closer. They were watching a BIG dolphin – 2.2 meters long I later discovered – which was nosing in at them in this very shallow water!
I then read the tourist notices – and talked to the rangers who are there to direct and help the tourists and they told me that some years ago a fisherman caught and injured a female dolphin in a net. He and his mates fed the dolphin until she was able to swim properly and feed herself. However, she continued to come back for a free feed. The dolphin I saw was her son – about 5 years old I think – whom she had taught to come in for the same free feed. On memory – I think we were told they eat 16-18 kilos of fish per day – and they carefully limit the hand feeding to not more than 3 kilos – just a morning tea snack as the ranger said. Some months ago someone illegally dumped oil in the bay and the female dolphin hasn’t been seen since. However, this young male continues to come in about 8 am most mornings – he was there soon after 7 when I was there!
The tourists are very carefully monitored. You are warned not to go into the water if you have a cold or scratched and broken skin on your legs or arms etc. You have to wash you hands in special solution to disinfect them before you are permitted to feed fish to the dolphin. You are not to touch the dolphin – OK if he touches you!
This was such a great experience because it was in such a natural setting and because there is such care taken to keep the whole thing non-commercial. The rangers said they want to make sure that the dolphin’s natural habits and instincts are interfered with as little as possible.
Oh yes – the dolphin is a Pacific humpback dolphin – fairly rare they said except right in the area of ‘Tin Can Bay’.
I then read the tourist notices – and talked to the rangers who are there to direct and help the tourists and they told me that some years ago a fisherman caught and injured a female dolphin in a net. He and his mates fed the dolphin until she was able to swim properly and feed herself. However, she continued to come back for a free feed. The dolphin I saw was her son – about 5 years old I think – whom she had taught to come in for the same free feed. On memory – I think we were told they eat 16-18 kilos of fish per day – and they carefully limit the hand feeding to not more than 3 kilos – just a morning tea snack as the ranger said. Some months ago someone illegally dumped oil in the bay and the female dolphin hasn’t been seen since. However, this young male continues to come in about 8 am most mornings – he was there soon after 7 when I was there!
The tourists are very carefully monitored. You are warned not to go into the water if you have a cold or scratched and broken skin on your legs or arms etc. You have to wash you hands in special solution to disinfect them before you are permitted to feed fish to the dolphin. You are not to touch the dolphin – OK if he touches you!
This was such a great experience because it was in such a natural setting and because there is such care taken to keep the whole thing non-commercial. The rangers said they want to make sure that the dolphin’s natural habits and instincts are interfered with as little as possible.
Oh yes – the dolphin is a Pacific humpback dolphin – fairly rare they said except right in the area of ‘Tin Can Bay’.
