The Dolphins of Monkey Mia
Monkey Mia, in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Western Australia. More than 100,000 visitors come each year to enjoy a close encounter with the wild dolphins of Monkey Mia.
Shark Bay has always been a haven for marine life, but in the 1960s some dolphins developed a special relationship with local fishers and began visiting Monkey Mia beach.
Learn the history of this rare human-dolphin interaction.
The dolphins in Shark Bay are Indian Ocean or Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops aduncus). One of the world’s most popular mammals, the dolphins are renowned for their complex social behaviour and high intelligence. Some dolphins in Shark Bay even use tools when searching for food!
Discover more about this fascinating creature.
Some people think dolphins all look the same, but they are of course individuals. Researchers at Monkey Mia have identified each beach dolphin and traced their family tree, revealing three generations of beach visitors.
Find out who’s who!
Monkey Mia provides scientists with a unique opportunity to study dolphins up close and personal.
Make your own ground-breaking discoveries now.
The Monkey Mia dolphin interaction is managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). Our goal is to enhance the public’s experience of these delightful animals, while ensuring the welfare and conservation of the dolphin community. To ensure the dolphin-focused tourism is sustainable, the DEC implements strategies based on the best available scientific information. Read how we care for the dolphins
here.