Want to know more? Browse through some of our more Frequently Asked Questions below.
1. When did the Dolphin Feeding Program begin? The first dolphin to approach the jetty and hand-feed was Beauty, a mature female who began visiting the shores of Tangalooma in the mid 1980s. After concerns were raised regarding the amount and quality of fish she was being fed, and after extensive collaboration with the University of Queensland, the Wild Dolphin Feeding Program had its official beginning in 1992. To read more about Beauty, visit her page in the 'Tangalooma Dolphins' section, or download our fact sheet by clicking here.
Beauty
2. What kind of dolphins visit Tangalooma, and how many are there?
We're lucky enough to be visited by 11 inshore bottlenose dolphins on a regular basis. The inshore species, while the smaller of the two bottlenose species, is still surprisingly large and can grow to 2.5 metres in length and up to 200kgs in weight! Even though only 11 regular dolphins frequent the feed area, Moreton Bay has the largest population of inshore bottlenose dolphins in the world, at around 600-800 individuals. Rarely venturing further than 2-3 kilometres from shore, the inshore bottlenose dolphin congregates in small pods of 2-15 individuals within a relatively small home range.
3. Why don't more dolphins visit the program? The majority of the 11 dolphins that visit us here at Tangalooma belong to one of two family groups, and have learnt to hand-feed in the shallows by observing their mothers closely. To other, more casual dolphins that may visit the feed area, this behaviour is new and unfamiliar, and the strict guidelines we have in place ensures we do not attempt to incorporate them into the program. The small home ranges and territoriality of the dolphins may also play a role in the number of animals visiting our shore.
4. What do you feed the dolphins and where do you get it? We are very careful to only provide the dolphins with a very small percentage of their daily food requirement, ensuring they do not become dependent on the program and continue to hunt for themselves. The fish used in the program are bought from professional fisherman. We purchase fish that are caught within the Moreton Bay area and are of the highest quality.
5. Isn't it a bad idea to feed wild animals? With strict guidelines in place to control the amount of fish we provide the dolphins, we ensure they do not become dependent on the feeding program. A trained and passionate team of Marine Biologists monitor the dolphin's behaviour each and every night to make sure there is neither aggression between the animals nor toward our guests, ensuring the nightly feed runs safely and smoothly.
6. Do the dolphins ever not show up to the feed? Although the dolphins visit us regularly, unfortunately there is the odd night where they do not arrive at the feed, preferring to hunt for themselves. Being completely wild, we do not call them in to the feed at night and therefore they can choose to come and go as they please.
7. Do other kinds of animals ever arrive at the dolphin feed? We are fortunate enough to have a remarkable diversity of marine life in Moreton Bay, and many of these can be seen at the feed on a regular basis, including small bottom dwelling sharks, rays, fish, squid, turtles and even the elusive dugong!
8. Can we take photos of the dolphins? The jetty at Tangalooma is a fantastic vantage point from which to take photos. Because dolphins can not actually see above them, please feel free to photograph them as much as you like, with or without a flash. However, once we go into the water, the cameras can be quite distressing to the dolphins, so please make sure you put your camera away before coming down onto the beach. Not to worry, we do have professional photographers that enter the water and photograph the dolphins from behind to capture this amazing experience.
9. How is Tangalooma involved in dolphin research? For many years now, Tangalooma has been funding crucial scientific research on not only the dolphins, but many other species of marine wildlife in Moreton Bay, including dugongs, turtles and seagrass. You can learn more about our research grants or previous publications by going to our 'Research' page or simply clicking here.
10. How do I get a job working with dolphins? Our work here at the Education Centre provides some of the most exciting and rewarding opportunities with wild dolphins anywhere in the world. The team here mostly consists of trained marine biologists, having studied science degrees at universities ranging from Zoology, Ecology and Marine Biology. A career in marine research, studying dolphin biology, behaviour or conservation, will also require a tertiary qualification in a similar scientific discipline, but hands-on practical experience is also very important. Volunteering for any work involving marine life is great experience, whether it be as a research assistant, in the ecotourism industry or even with animals other than dolphins!
