We organised an online Wildlife Matters LIVE event to discuss what we know about them, the threats that they face and how we can all help. Chaired by Chief Executive Carolyn Cadman, the panel included Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Marine Conservation Officer Abby Crosby, founder of Cornwall Dolphin Group Nick Tregenza, as well as Shauna Corr and Saskia Duncan – both of whom have completed research on the South West’s pod of Bottlenose Dolphins as part of the South West Bottlenose Dolphin Consortium.

If you’d like to watch the Wildlife Matters event yourself, you can find the recording below. Or if you’re short on time, read our blog and hear about six key things we learnt at the event.

Bottlenose dolphins were driven to extinction locally

Nick Tregenza, founder of the Cornwall Dolphin Group and former president of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, opened the evening by sharing the important history and culture of Cornwall’s Bottlenose Dolphins.

Nick explained to the audience that the original population of Bottlenose Dolphins in the South West was wiped out in the middle of the last century by the extensive use of agricultural pesticides. These complex creatures had developed a way of using Hooe Lake, on the Tamar River near Devonport, as a fish trap, but that knowledge was lost when they were driven to extinction. The new local pod of Bottlenose Dolphins has not yet used this method of hunting.

The bond between bottlenose dolphins and people is unique

Stories of a special connection between dolphins and humans go back to Roman times almost 2,000 years ago, as Nick mentions in his talk. But there are also fascinating cases of wild dolphins interacting with people locally in Cornwall too.

A once well-known Bottlenose Dolphin called Beaky, a lone dolphin separated from its pod, was known to give a woman swimming near Coverack a free ride around the bay!

Our knowledge on bottlenose dolphins is poor, but we are learning lots through data

We have lots of knowledge gaps when it comes to bottlenose dolphins. This includes our understanding of their distribution globally, as well as their survival rates and social structures.

However, during the event, our Marine Conservation Officer Abby Crosby pointed out that the Trust’s conservation projects such as Seaquest Southwest and our Marine Strandings Network are helping us record and learn more about these incredible marine mammals.  

Learn about our marine conservation projects

Bottlenose dolphins are at risk from watercrafts

Cornwall Wildlife Trust revealed in 2021 that marine disturbance in Cornwall had tripled in the last six years, affecting the health and populations of marine mammals such as Bottlenose Dolphins. During the evening, University of Exeter PhD student Shauna Corr, spoke about the negative impact of recreational boating activity on bottlenose dolphins, which peaks during summer months.

Find out about the Marine & Coastal Code

You do not need to be a research scientist to help bottlenose dolphins

You may think that the actions that you alone take won’t make a difference to the lives of our Bottlenose Dolphins. But that’s simply not the case. We all have a part to play when it comes to protecting one of our most-loved marine creatures.

Here, in this clip, our Marine Conservation Officer Abby Crosby recalls eight ways you can do your bit for Cornwall’s bottlenose dolphins.

Bottlenose dolphins love to explore

Bottlenose dolphins can travel extraordinary distances – some to completely different countries! University of Plymouth Master’s Student Saskia Duncan shares the story of a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth, Scotland that travelled to Europe, as well as another group that travelled to Ireland and back in only a few days.

If you haven’t already, please consider donating to our Dolphin & Porpoise Appeal to help dolphins and porpoises thrive in our Cornish seas! Your donations can help our marine team carry out vital activities to reduce marine disturbance, mitigate against noise pollution and increase sustainable fishing practices. All donations, big and small, help our marine team carry out their vital work.