WHALE OUT OF WATER: MENTONE PRIMARY For National Science Week, DRI visited all of the students at @mentoneps with Wirakee our 19m blow up whale! We discussed all things whale and dolphin: what species we can find in Victoria, how and what whales eat, why they breathe out of water and how they can help! We even listened to some dolphin and whale sounds which sounded quite funny to many! The students were very excited as they held and passed around real dolphin skulls, whale baleen and whale teeth! Then it was off to the multipurpose room to find our life sized humpback whale waiting for us! It was smiles all round but it wasn't until the students hopped inside the whale that they truly realised how magnificent these ocean giants are! Thanks for having us Mentone 👋🏼 #WhalesofVictoria #DolphinResearchInstitute #NationalScienceWeek #MarineEducation (fb)

Happy 1st Birthday to Barrett’s youngest calf! Born in August last year, this calf is one of more than 10 calves still dependent on their mums here in Port Phillip. The photo below shows the calf at just a couple of weeks old. Barrett is one of Port Phillip’s “super mums”, not only raising her own calves but also recently becoming a grandmother of 2! She is one of just four known common dolphins in the Bay to be a grandmother to the third generation. With many young calves still reliant on their mums, such as Barrett’s own calf and grandcalf, please commit to Dolphin Distancing as we move into the warmer months. In Victoria, we have minimum approach distances to protect our incredible marine life and ensure everyone’s safety. This means do not directly approach dolphins closer than: 🛥 On boats/paddled craft - 100m 🌊 On Jet skis - 300m 🏄‍♀️ When swimming- 30m If a dolphin approaches you, simply slow down and enjoy the encounter! Commit to Dolphin Distancing: https://www.dolphinresearch.org.au/commit-to-dolphin-distancing/ By committing to Dolphin Distancing, you’re helping to keep mums and calves safe and supporting the future of Port Phillip’s unique common dolphin community. (Image taken by the Dolphin Research Institute under strict research permits) #PortPhillipCommonDolphinProject #DolphinResearchInstitute #PortPhillipBay (fb)