Dr Robb started by describing the vision of the Marine Mammal Foundation: to be a leading Australian marine mammal conservation organisation, protecting the marine environment through research, community engagement and education. 

She introduced her research team, before describing how studying dolphin populations led them to believe the dolphins in Port Philip and Westernport Bays, and the Gippsland Lakes, are a different species to the Common and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins found in southern waters. They gathered evidence of external and skull morphology, and conducted genetic analysis to establish in 2011 that they are indeed a different species, and named them Burrunan Dolphins after the indigenous word meaning “large sea fish of the porpoise kind”.

The Marine Mammal Foundation continues its research into the dolphins, using fin images to identify individuals, studying the movements and relationships of males and females.  Complex population modelling, geospatial mapping, and analysis of marine soundscapes and acoustic of the dolphins have yielded copious information about their lives. The dolphins face the threat of environmental impacts, such as bushfires and floods which affect water quality and salinity (which may cause Freshwater Skin Disease), vessel impacts, and the effects of polyfluoroalkyl substances and mercury accumulating in their bodies. 

The species is classified as “critically endangered” and the Marine Mammal Foundation engages the community to raise awareness by means of signage and education, to protect the species.

Dr Robb answered questions regarding the movement and mixing of the various populations, the effect of sharks, and the extent to which they ascend rivers and estuaries. 

Ian Bentley thanked Dr Robb for her informative talk. 

Dr Kate Robb is the Founding Director and Head of Research at the Marine Mammal Foundation. With over 17 years experience researching dolphins across southern Australia, Kate achieved a Bachelor of Science (Hons) with a double major in Freshwater and Marine Ecology and Zoology and a Doctor of Philosophy (Genetics). Her research led to the formal description and naming of a new Australian species of dolphin, the Burrunan Dolphin, Tursiops Australis.

Kate is the former President of the Australian Marine Sciences Associations – Victorian branch, a Naturalist for expeditions to Antarctica, and an Honorary Fellow at Deakin, Curtin & Monash University.

Kate has been involved with major media coverage from international agencies such as BBCs History Channel, National Geographic, BBC The World, NBC USA; Australian agencies such as The Age, The Australian, Herald-Sun, major TV news networks; children’s shows such as Totally Wild and SCOPE.

A highlight of Kate’s career was personally meeting Sir David Attenborough in 2013.

M.C. TBA

Photo Credit: Marine Mammal Foundation