Guest guest Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 ***************************Advertisement*************************** eCentral - Your Entertainment Guide http://www.star-ecentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2003/10/7/features/6285819 & sec=f\ eatures ________________________ Tuesday October 7, 2003 Nightly rendezvous By FOONG PEK YEE THE Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, is more than your usual beach resort. Besides an impressive range of world class facilities, it is known for its “wild dolphin encounters.” Tourists and scientists alike flock there to experience the unusual spectacle of wild dolphins coming to shore seeking food. It started 13 years ago with the sighting of a wild bottlenose dolphin with her calf (baby dolphin) at the resort jetty. Unexpectedly, the dolphin accepted food thrown to her. The dolphin, named Beauty by resort staff, must have been hungry as its baby was still suckling. After that day, some 10 other dolphins started heading to the jetty every night for food, led by Beauty. Nobody could say for sure why only this particular group, out of 700 dolphins in Moreton Bay, make their nightly visits. Perhaps it has something to do with the name Tangalooma, which is an aboriginal word meaning “fish meeting place.” Beauty died in 1995 but left behind a legacy which is a tourism draw for the resort, a 75-minute boat ride from the Holt Street Wharf in Brisbane. Resort manager Adrian Chisholm said the dolphins are the biggest attraction in Tangalooma. “They have turned up at the jetty every night except for four, in the last five years.” A signboard at the resort mark their nightly attendance, making them very much a part of the facility. The dolphins are an instant hit with visitors, particularly children, who took delight in feeding them under the guidance of resort staff. The resort staff have taken to naming the dolphins & #8211; Echo, Tinkerbell, Bobo, Rani, Nari, Freddy, Tangles, Nick, Lefty, Wedge and Shadow. “This (naming) is for identification and research purposes,” said Chisholm. What sets the Tangalooma dolphins apart from other dolphin-related tourism in Australia is that they remain as wild dolphins and are not trained to interact with visitors and yet, are able to do so. Tangalooma intends to keep it that way. Chisholm said the dolphins do not respond when called by their names but resort staff can identify the individuals from their size, colour and shape of their dorsal fins. To minimise disturbance to the wild dolphins & #8217; natural behaviour, the resort implements a “dolphin care programme.” Dolphins which visit Tangalooma for their daily supper are fed only 10% of their daily food requirement to discourage dependency on feeding. It is vital that the wild dolphins preserve their natural characteristics so that they can continue to hunt for themselves. Furthermore, interaction and contact with humans are restricted so that the dolphins remain wild and wary of humans. Touching or patting the dolphins are prohibited to avoid causing stress to the animals which have sensitive skin. Those suffering from colds or respiratory illnesses are not allowed to feed the dolphins for fear of infecting the animals. Visitors wishing to feed the dolphins must first rinse off sunscreen or insect repellent from their arms and legs because these substances contain chemicals which may irritate the eyes and mouth areas of the dolphins. They then have to disinfect their hands to avoid passing bacteria to the dolphins. The resort is not just exploiting the wild dolphins as a tourist attraction. It pays attention to scientific research too. In 1992, the Tangalooma Marine Research and Education Programme was set up in collaboration with Queensland University. The Tangalooma Marine Education and Research Foundation was established by the resort to fund and support research on the natural systems of Moreton Island, Morton Bay and their surroundings. Researchs grants of A$20,000 (RM58,000) per annum or A$100,000 (RM259,000) for long-term projects are available. The area & #8217;s combination of land and marine eco-systems provide perfect opportunities for research. Two of the four studies funded last year covered dolphin behaviour and population. Some 700 bottlenose dolphins, 100 Indopacific humpback dolphins and an unknown number of common dolphins reside in Moreton Bay. The study on dolphins is into its seventh year and is an ongoing programme of the Geographical Sciences Department of the University of Queensland. It is to ascertain the long-term effects of interaction between humans and a pod of wild Bottlenose dolphins at the Tangalooma Resort. Another research on dolphin acoustics is to determine whether sounds made by dolphins to communicate with each other are linked with dolphin behaviour. There is one study on dugong behaviour and environment and another on the seagrass and coral habitats of Eastern Moreton Bay. Results from these studies will certainly raise understanding on the dolphins and marine environment of Moreton Bay and in turn, support conservation of the area and its fauna.<p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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