A mother and her calf are among 15 dolphins that Pirotta and her team have identified so far to be frequent visitors of the harbour,and it is the rake (teeth) marks on their dorsal fins,likely evidence of either passionate fighting or mating,that make them identifiable to scientists.
“The general public will look at a dolphin and think they all look the same,but really they’ve got certain components on them that are different and unique,which is handy for us,” Pirotta said.
“The mum has a little nick in her dorsal fin,and she has a rake mark on her dorsal fin,which indicates she has had a bit of a kerfuffle.”
Dr Elizabeth Hawkins,CEO and founding director of Dolphin Research Australia,said that dolphins are “as diverse in personality as our human population.”
“When you think of that kind of diversity in the water you have all sorts of dolphins. Some animals will likely have a tendency to be shy,timid or sensitive,and then you will have others that are a bit more adventurous or take risks in certain situations.”
However,when it comes to understanding the habits and lifestyles of the dolphins that visit Sydney,there’s a blind spot in knowledge,said Pirotta.