Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Environment Fund

When the call comes in to report a dolphin in distress, our team of marine scientists and highly-trained volunteers rush into action. We know we may only have a few hours to reach a dolphin in trouble before they are overcome by their injuries.

Every year dolphins are reported hurt or in distress in our coastal waters. Whether entangled in abandoned fishing lines and hooks or being stranded on a sandbank, a Dolphin in distress needs help fast if they are to have any chance of survival. And tragically, it is often the youngest and most curious of our Dolphin calves that find themselves in most need of our help.

Since 1989, our teams have responded to over 150 calls of dolphins in distress.

Please, give a gift today to save the lives of injured Dolphins. Your donation will be used to fund our daily monitoring programs and essential equipment such as our research boat, cameras, hydrophones, and rescue trailers. You will also help fund the training of staff and volunteers as they carry out these life-saving rescues.

You can save a Dolphin today.

The images may be familiar to you. The bodies of over a hundred whales, stretching along the beach as far as the eye can see. Each one a beautiful, majestic mammal.

Tragically, almost every year our teams are called to help at whale strandings right along the southwestern coastline of Australia. It’s an exhausting and traumatic experience for everyone involved.

But, even in the most difficult circumstances, we never lose hope that a stranded whale can be returned to the ocean.

Your gift today, will ensure our teams are on hand and ready to respond whenever and wherever we are needed. Your gift will cover the costs of vital Whale Stranding training for our volunteers and essential equipment such as rescue trailers and boats.

You can save a Whale today.

Every year many hundreds of baby turtles are caught up in the Leeuwin Current and during winter storms find themselves at our shores, many thousands of miles away from home.

With no food, and cold temperatures, they will die without the support of our world-class turtle rehabilitation program.

Marine Turtles like the Loggerhead are critically endangered due to the destruction of their environment and pollution of the oceans. In the wild only 1 in 1000 hatchlings survives to adulthood.

For over 20 years our team has successfully rehabilitated hundreds of endangered marine turtles that become stranded along the West Australian coastline. Turtles are released back in the ocean after 6 – 24 months of care, when their chances of survival are greatly improved.

Your gift today will provide critical emergency treatment, a temporary home with us and 24/7 care until they are strong enough for release.

You can save a Turtle today.

Did you know that our team has been monitoring the Koombana Bay dolphins for over 30 years?

Our volunteers and staff have clocked up thousands of hours of observations, helping to build our understanding of dolphin behaviour and how humans impact the dolphin environment.

Our research led to the creation of the Sanctuary Zone – a place in the bay where dolphins can rest and socialise.

In 2007 we teamed up with Murdoch University to create the South West Marine Research Program. The program looks at the impact of human activity on the local dolphin population and assists industry partners in planning their activities to minimise impact on the marine environment.

Our research is helping protect the Dolphins who call Koombana Bay home. But it’s only possible with your support.

Your gift today will provide critical funds to continue our research program, helping us to ensure the health and wellbeing of our Dolphins is respected by everyone that moves through the bay.

You can protect the Koombana Bay Dolphins today.

Past & Present Research Projects

Since the inception of the Dolphin Trust In 1989 dedicated volunteers and staff have recorded data 364 days per year on every dolphin observation. This has resulted in:

Every year, thousands of children come through our doors, eager to learn more about the weird and wonderful creatures that call the Indian Ocean home.

Our volunteers devote over 25,000 hours per year to educating children and adults on the marine environment and the many ways we can all help conserve and protect the diversity of our oceans.

With your help we can expand our education program, giving more people the opportunity to learn about our delicate marine eco-system and safeguarding the diversity of our oceans for many generations to come.

Past & Present Education Programs

• Aquariums educate about dolphin diet and habitat
• School education program, with a science focus in line with National Curriculum, sees both National & International Schools involved and returning annually
• Public Education via Open Days, Brochures, Signage, Community Event Attendance etc.
• Marine Ranger & Marine Manager programs created to nurture Marine Stewardship
• Kids Teaching Kids Conference Host
• 100,000+ visitors annually
• Live Video Stream and Youtube TV Channel, established during Covid19 to allow visitors access to our Marine Education Program via Media Channels

You might not know it but 3 miles off the Bunbury coast are two artificial reefs, built to improve the ocean environment for our complex fish and marine species. Healthy coral reefs are vital to the protection and support of our local marine wildlife but, across the world, these habitats are threatened by environmental pressure.

Our team of Marine Biologists, Aquarists and Volunteers are saving coral fragments from Busselton Pier and cultivate them in our Aquaroom and Science Lab before transplanting them onto the artificial reef.

You can build a coral reef today.

Who wants to be a 'Storm Chaser'? We know that a lot of people already collect rubbish during their walks along our beautiful and unique natural areas, no matter if it is along the coast or through the bushland. This very admirable act shows how much we care about our environment and how much rubbish pollutes our surroundings but it also shows that we can change the world into a better place. In continuation of this dedication, we have formed a Community project called the 'DDC Storm - Chasers'. Beach walkers, bush walkers, dog walkers - it doesn't matter, the more the better. All we will ask you to do is take a picture of the rubbish you collect at the end of your walk and send it to us with the location and rough distance you 'cleaned up', then dispose of the rubbish correctly. We will use our infrastructure to document the amount of rubbish and upload it into a national database (like 'Keep Australia Beautiful' or 'Tangaroa Blue') so it can be evaluated Australia wide. We also encourage the Storm Chasers to keep an eye out for animals in distress like stranded Sea Turtles on the beach or birds & wildlife with entanglements etc, so we can act swiftly and help where help is needed. We provide all equipment like gloves, grabbers, bags and sanitisers and even insurance if you like and are over 16, but it is not mandatory. There is no pressure when and how much you do, no forms to be filled out. It is about having fun during your walks and doing something good at the same time and talking about it. If you would like to get involved, pop into the Dolphin Discovery Centre today and ask at reception for a Storm Chasers Kit!