A Murdoch University student will be spending time in Bunbury in a bid to better understand the nature of ecotourism.
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Swimming with dolphins and other encounters with the well-loved mammals will be the subject of research for honours student Jessica Patroni.
Throughout January she will survey visitors to the Dolphin Discovery Centre to gain insight into their experiences, which include close up encounters with the Koombana Bay dolphins.
“There’s a lot of research available on the environmental impacts of ecotourism activities but not much social data about visitor satisfaction, and that’s why we’re carrying out this survey,” she said.
“I enjoy interacting with people and with this particular project, I like seeing how they get to experience and enjoy nature in a controlled way.
“Through this research I am hoping to understand people’s opinions on dolphin tourism and also to educate them on the negative impacts that unregulated feeding can cause, with the aim of reducing uncontrolled dolphin feeding.”
Dolphin Discovery Centre manager David Kerr said it was about striking a balance to allow for public enjoyment of wildlife that had minimal impact on the dolphins’ way of life.
“As the wild dolphin experience in Koombana Bay is our key tourism attraction, the information gained will also help ensure we deliver an experience that meets visitor and community expectations while ensuring the sustainability of the local dolphin population,” he said.
