Phase 2 of the 2024 Shark Bay Dolphin Research field season is underway with a new base set up on the remote Dirk Harthog Island. With brilliant weather, we have thoroughly explored this new + stunning field site. Meeting new dolphins, tiger sharks, dugongs + turtles, is a very happy team!

So incredibly grateful to be back in Shark Bay #Gathaaguda for another field season collecting data for my PhD on cooperation in bottlenose dolphin alliances with Shark Bay Dolphin Research University of Bristol Biological Sciences This place is magic 🐬🐬🐬 Eternal thanks to funders Marine Mammalogy

Incredible plenary by our very own Prof Richard Connor @DolphinAlliance - on the multi-level alliances in Shark Bay and our research over the last 40 years - you can’t beat Richard’s enthusiasm and knowledge of dolphin behavioural ecology ❤️#PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

Male dolphins can produce elaborate synchronous displays, but the purpose is unclear. Using 40yrs of observation data, Sam Hill-Cousins suggests synchrony may help strengthen bonds between males #smm2024

Fantastic new insight into motor synchrony by Sam Hill-Cousins - synchronous displays strengthen social bonds in allied male dolphins #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 University of Bristol Biological Sciences

Wonderful plenary by Ellen Garland on the cultural basis of humpback whale song. Such elegant work! #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 SMRU (now posting at Bluesky)

So proud of all our team for presenting their research on the Shark Bay dolphins at #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 🐬🐬🐬

Stunning plenary by Mauricio Cantor on why cooperation matters for dolphins and fishers, and why we should safeguard cultural human-dolphin cooperative fishing #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

Fun end to a great conference week with a team trip to Rottnest to see the quokkas - how cute are these guys 🤩

An absolutely incredible experience🐬 A huge thank you to Emma Chereskin Stephanie L King @stephanielking.bsky.social Shark Bay Dolphin Research for an opportunity I’ll never forget🫶🏻 Grateful for the most wonderful teachers and friends Emma Chereskin Sam Hill-Cousins Brendan Lumley Danai Papageorgiou 🤍 #Gutharraguda