Dolphin makes full recovery: Video

The Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning (DELWP) is excited that footage of Dee Dee the dolphin was a hit with its Facebook followers.

Here is a photo of the near-fatal boat-strike injury to the dorsal fin of the dolphin taken May 2013. But we understand that this wonderful creature has made a fantastic recovery as shown by the footage the DELPW posted on its page.

The researchers were thrilled to see footage of Dee Dee alive, bow-riding with friends and family along the Mornington coast this May. You can see Dee Dee in the right of the frame. She or he clearly likes boats like most dolphins.

On the site, the DELWP says: "Since 2007, our friends at the Dolphin Research Institute (DRI) have been closely monitoring the resident common dolphin population in Port Phillip Bay and are now doing a PhD study investigating social structure and behaviour amongst the population.

"DRI's work helps DELWP better understand common dolphin movement and behaviour, general dolphin and ecosystem health, and their risky interactions with jet skis, vessels and boarders."

Dee-Dee's injury is a reminder to obey the law and keep the following distances from dolphins and other marine life (easier said than done, mind you):
>> 300m jet skis
>> 100m Recreational vessels (motor or sail)
>> 50m swimmers and surfers

If you see something on the water that's not right, you can report it to the DELWP Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

The DRI is keen to receive general reports of dolphin sightings via the DRI website at http://www.dolphinresearch.org.au/ or phone 1 300 130 949.

For those wanting to become actively involved, the DRI coordinate a community dolphin monitoring project consisting of over 20 volunteers and focus on tracking the common dolphins from land in the vicinity of Mount Eliza and Mornington on the second Sunday of each month.