New research has found that tourism operators in Western Australia could be putting dolphin populations at risk by allowing them to be fed by visitors.
A new study from Murdock University, which looked at more than 60 dolphins around the Bunbury area, found dolphins which were not fed by the Bunbury Discovery Centre were two times more likely to give birth and had more success raising calves.
Lead researcher Valeria Senigaglia said it was likely because the dolphins had become reliant on humans for food, which could lead to female dolphins becoming less maternal towards their calves.