• Shark Bay—A Marine Wonderland
    Awake!—2007 | July

    • The Superstars of Shark Bay

      The greatest attractions of Shark Bay are the bottlenose dolphins of Monkey Mia, a beach area on the edge of Denham Peninsula. Monkey Mia is one of the few places in the world where wild dolphins regularly approach shore to interact with humans. No one knows for certain when this interaction began.

      Some tell of dolphins herding fish into the shallows in the 1950’s​—a practice that can still be seen today. People may have taken advantage of this situation to feed and befriend the dolphins. In 1964 a local fisherwoman threw a fish to a lone dolphin splashing around her boat at Monkey Mia. The dolphin, which people called Charlie, returned the next night and took a fish directly from her hand. Soon, Charlie’s friends joined him.

      Since then, three generations of dolphins have delighted millions of visitors. They have also delighted biologists, more than 100 of whom from various countries have done research on the animals, making them the most studied dolphins in the world.

      These days, dolphins, often with their young, visit Monkey Mia beach most mornings. Crowds of excited visitors await their arrival, but only a few get to share in the feeding. Why? Because park rangers want to ensure that the animals do not become dependent on handouts. Nevertheless, all the people present get a good view of the proceedings. “If only humans could enjoy this intimacy with all of earth’s creatures!” exclaimed one woman.