11/09/2026
In a sad update, a deceased dolphin calf was found washed up on the foreshore near the Blue Boat House on ๐ง๐๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐ด ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ.
DBCA Marine and Riverpark Rangers retrieved the calf and transported it to Ellam Street, where Dr Delphine Chabanne from Murdoch University examined the animal.
Deep cuts were present on the rostrum (snout) and notches were visible on the dorsal fin โ injuries consistent with those often seen in dolphin entanglement incidents.
Photographs of Bindi Bindi were compared with post-mortem images. Bindi Bindi was last sighted on 24 August despite extensive efforts to locate her. Based on these comparisons, the calf is believed to be Bindi Bindi. Although the scars and other identifying features are a close match, decomposition has affected some of these markers, so a definitive identification can't be confirmed just yet.
While no fishing line was found on or near the calf when it was retrieved, evidence of entanglement can be lost over time as a carcass decomposes.
In more positive news, recent surveys on the river were able to identify all other known calves. All appeared healthy, socially active and behaving normally.
The next Dolphin Watch scientific vessel survey may help provide more clarity. If Click is observed without her calf and all other known calves are accounted for, it would strengthen the likelihood that the deceased dolphin is Bindi Bindi.
๐ฃ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐. ๐๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐น๐ฝ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ. ๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ป.
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๐๐ผ๐น๐ฝ๐ต๐ถ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐ณ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐จ๐ชข
DBCA is aware of a fishing line entanglement involving Bindi Bindi, a three-month-old dolphin calf in the Swan Canning Riverpark.
DBCA marine rangers were deployed yesterday and briefly located Bindi Bindi near Karrakatta Bank. The calf was observed for about 15 minutes before being lost from sight in choppy conditions near the Point Walter sand spit.
The entanglement remains and appears tight around the calf's mouth, dorsal fin and pectoral fins. Based on observations, the calf appears to be in a similar body condition to previous sightings.
Unfortunately, the complexity of the entanglement has ruled out simpler boat-based intervention.
Marine rangers are continuing to work with researchers to monitor Bindi Bindi.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ:
โ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป
Discarded fishing line can have devastating impacts on wildlife.
If you're fishing and see a dolphin nearby, reel in your line.
Always take unwanted fishing line and tackle with you and dispose of it responsibly.
โ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
All vessels, including boats, kayaks, jet skis and stand-up paddleboards, must stay at least 100m from dolphins.
People and dogs must stay at least 50m away.
If a dolphin approaches you, remain still and move away slowly when it is safe to do so.
These distances are a legal requirement in Western Australia and help protect dolphins from disturbance and stress.
โ ๐๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
Observe dolphins from a distance.
Do not approach, pursue or attempt to interact with Bindi Bindi and Click.
This may hinder future efforts by DBCA to capture and disentangle Bindi Bindi.
โ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐
If you see Bindi Bindi and Click, please contact the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055.
Sighting reports, including the location, date, time and photographs taken from a respectful distance, may assist ongoing monitoring of the calf's condition and movements.
โ ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐น๐ฝ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐
Feeding dolphins can alter their natural behaviour and increase the risk of entanglement, injury and boat strikes.
๐ธ DBCA
