MEET dolphin #89, a resident of Port Phillip Bay’s unique community of common dolphins. Photographed recently by Ella Hutchinson, the Williamson Research Fellow with the Dolphin Research Institute, #89 was first identified in 2022, and is a playful individual that has been sighted regularly every year since.
Earlier this year, #89 was even seen “babysitting” another dolphin’s young calf. Now the institute is calling on the community to help give this curious dolphin a proper name. “With 166 individuals in our catalogue, we only name a special few,” Hutchinson said. “We thought with such a great display with the Mornington Yacht Club in the background, we would invite the community to come up with a name.” Researchers don’t know if #89 is male or female just yet – as it’s quite hard to tell – and the name needs to take this into account.
The institute noted that the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s budget cuts had put the future of the Dolphin Research Institute’s award-winning “i sea, i care” program in jeopardy after more than a decade of their support. “The Institute is reaching out to the community of families, schools and businesses for support to ensure that our children, who benefit so much from “i sea, i care”, are not let down,” it said.
To suggest a name for #89 or support the Institute go to www.dolphinresearch.org.au. The name will be announced in the second week of July with the winner to receive a prize.
First published in the Mornington News – 3 May 2025
