Clarence River dolphins

"Bottle-nosed dolphins regularly use the shallows of the Clarence estuary. Mothers may seek out the shallower water for extra protection from predators for their young calf," she said.
"It is also quite possible that the fishing is currently better in the these areas and the mother was teaching her baby the skills it needs to survive.
"Estuaries, such as the Clarence, form an important home range for bottle-nosed dolphins. [National Parks and Wildlife Service,media release,11 October 2004]
It is not unusual for Clarence Valley residents to catch sight of travelling/feeding pods containing between thirty to forty dolphins.
Out on the river one sometimes sees a dolphin break away from the pod to travel close to a small boat, so as to get a good look at the occupants and, ferry river crossings between Yamba and Iluka often have a dolphin escort as it comes in close to surf the bow wave.
Dolphin population numbers in the river are linked to water quality, river health and fish stocks.
[Image displayed at en.wikipedia.org,30 September 2007]