CAMDEN Haven residents are invited to register as a volunteer and help protect dolphins by taking part in the first statewide Dolphin Census on Saturday 30 May.
The one-day census is a collaboration between Dolphin Research Australia and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to create a statewide snapshot of where dolphins are found and what habitat they use.
Dolphin Research Australia CEO Dr Liz Hawkins said, “At the moment, we simply don’t know enough about many of our dolphin populations.
“By working together as coastal communities, people across the state can help improve our understanding and contribute to protecting dolphins and their habitats.”
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Officer Andy Marshall said, “Every time we look more closely at our coastal dolphins, we uncover new insights – and often realise how much more there is to learn.
“In fact, many dolphins don’t travel as far as people assume, with some female Indo‑Pacific bottlenose dolphins spending their whole lives in the same local coastal area.”
Volunteers who register will be trained as citizen scientists in the weeks before the NSW Dolphin Census Day, with the project supported by funding from the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy.
On the day, volunteers will spend at least 15 minutes continuously watching for dolphins from their favourite vantage points along the NSW coast – from beaches and headlands to harbours, bays and river estuaries.
No experience is needed before undertaking the training.
People can participate as individuals, with friends or in groups, bringing binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens.
Registered volunteers can choose to attend training in person, join a live webinar or complete a self-paced online course to help identify dolphin species, learn how to collect data and ensure safe observations.
The information collected will help fill key knowledge gaps about NSW’s dolphins and support conservation efforts.
Sign up at www.dolphinwatch.org.au
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