If you were a dolphin, you would have reason to be concerned. Almost every where in the world, dolphins are getting hammered by humans.

Whether it is the yummy dolphin burgers of Japan, the coastal development in the Middle East and Eastern Australia, or the drift nets in the Pacific, where-ever you go, dolphins are getting the rough end of the stick.

Is Townsville any different? Is anyone one looking after Townsville's coastal dolphins?

Cleveland Bay is the home to three species of dolphins:

• The Snubfin (Irrawaddy) Dolphin
• The Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin
• The Bottlenose (show-pony) Dolphin

Other marine mammals including whales and dugongs are also found in Cleveland Bay. Lets not forget other endangereds such as the marine turtle (bless their cotton flipper socks) and two of 9 species of sharks recently added to the IUCN endangered species list.

In short, the conservation management of the dolphins (and all the other animals) is incomplete and their long-term future is in doubt.

Around the world, dolphins are going extinct, and this fate may also come to the Townsville Dolphins as well.

By some accounts this might not be such a calamity after-all. It is suggested that dolphins are the second most intelligent creatures on the planet after white mice, and that humans come a distant third. In this instance, it is humans who will suffer the sixth extinction before the dolphins do (quite fitting as it was our gene pool who precipitated the damn thing).

Anyway, here is an abridged version of how the dolphins sing it, seconds before they depart planet earth, leaving the humans to suffer the subsequent events:

So long and thanks for all the fish
So sad that it should come to this
We tried to warn you all but oh dear?

You may not share our intellect
Which might explain your disrespect
For all the natural wonders that
grow around you

So long, so long and thanks
for all the fish

The world's about to be destroyed
There's no point getting all annoyed
Lie back and let the planet dissolve

Despite those nets of tuna fleets
We thought that most of you were sweet
Especially tiny tots and your
pregnant women

So long, so long, so long, so long, so long
So long, so long, so long, so long, so long

So long, so long and thanks
for all the fish

Damn humans, who do they think they are?

In July 2007, an international team of dolphin researchers declared that the famous Yellow River Dolphin of China was extinct. Caput.

Closer to home the Ellis Beach Snubfn dolphin population, off the coast of Cairns, was wiped-out by shark nets, and may never recover.

Fears are held for the Indus River Dolphin, and just about every other Coastal and River Dolphin on the planet.

There's something going on here, folks. If you think that washing the Commodore on the weekend is a priority, it is humbly suggested that there is something greater in the human condition.

The Aim of The Townsville Dolphins (TTD) is to ensure a robust and enduring population of dolphins in Cleveland Bay - irrespective of coastal development, irrespective of climate change.

Based on successful models that integrate conservation efforts with financial support of the public and institutions, the Objectives of TTD are:

• Public education about Townsville Dolphins
  
• Implementation of effective conservation programs
  
• Ongoing research into Townsville dolphins

The Townsville Dolphins will be an effective, not-for-profit organisation managed by a Committee holding the necessary expertise to meet the organisation’s Objectives.

The Committee will include specialists in:

• Business Management
• Marketing
• Dolphin Research

Finances for the Townsville Dolphins will be managed through an established Charity group.

The budget will be expended on two permenant positions plus operating cost. The permenant positions will be:

• Commincations / Marketing / Promotions
• Dolphin researcher

All the positions including the Host Charity Group, the Host Organisation and the two staff are yet to be allocated.

A 36 month budget of $360,000 has been developed.

The Townsville Dolphins Program will comence once the full amount has been deposited into the Charity Trust Account.