Photogallery
The dolphin Nicky investigates a tourist at Monkey Mia. © Dolphin Alliance Project (taken in 1982 using hand-rolled black and white film)
The author trying to determine the sex of a bow-riding dolphin © Dolphin Alliance Project
Spongemom with a sponge in 2010, 24 years after the author first followed her in 1986. © Dolphin Alliance Project
Two male dolphins line up head to head, having a "tiff," while a third contributes his opinion to the dispute. © Dolphin Alliance Project
One dolphin, belly-up, strokes the face of another dolphin while being petted in the genital area. © Dolphin Alliance Project
Snubby, on guard duty, watches as the other dolphins are fed, but he remains near the female (furthest out) in case she tries to escape © Dolphin Alliance Project
Snubby and Bibi flanking a herded female in “formation” © Dolphin Alliance Project
Lunch was visibly emaciated (note how large her head appears relative to her body) as she surfaced in "infant position" beside her mother, Munch, on the last day we saw her in 1987. © Dolphin Alliance Project
A second-order alliance, composed of a pair and a trio, resting (="snagging") at the surface. © Dolphin Alliance Project
Shave, Sickle and Wave, surfacing synchronously in "sardine" formation on 10 September. Wave was soon excluded from the consortship with Surprise. © Dolphin Alliance Project
Snubby receives a fish while ranger Tom Pepper looks on. © Dolphin Alliance Project
A trio of males from the "Crunch Bunch" dive synchronously © Dolphin Alliance Project
A dolphin beaches in pursuit of a fish at Cape Peron. © Simon Allen
A male careening around during an "Apeshit" display © Dolphin Alliance Project
We found Holey-fin's body as it was washing ashore south of Cape Rose. © Dolphin Alliance Project
Male dolphins often spread out to fish alone, and sometimes surprise us with what they find, like this male who has captured a snake eel. © Dolphin Alliance Project
Watching the Wow Crowd. I am driving and recording observations into a head-mounted microphone while David Wrangham films the action and visiting scientist Lindsey Porter watches another group nearby. An underwater microphone (hydrophone), fed through the PVC pipe in front of the boat, picks up the dolphins' vocalizations. © Dolphin Alliance Project
Creative displays? Two males perform synchronous belly-slaps, going in opposite directions, on either side of a female. © Dolphin Alliance Project