Black Cowry (Zoila friendii thersites)
Yesterday, while snorkeling at the Port Noarlunga reef in near perfect conditions I was fortunate enough to encounter a South Australian endemic gastropod mollusk, the Black Cowry (Zoila friendii thersites).…
Seen a shark in SA waters? Report it for safety and science
When I discuss sharks with divers or snorkellers, they tend to agree that shark sightings of any species are a rarity in SA- at least off metropolitan beaches and at…
Nocturnal observations around Glenelg marina and jetty
While this weekend’s scorching hot temperatures kept my wife and I out of the sun for the most part, we couldn’t resist making a late night beach walk down at…
The carbon footprint of dive tourism – are we loving our oceans to death?
It is with mixed feelings that I frequently see people I know raving about their next dose of international ecotourism, be it diving with whales in Tonga or on tropical…
Thoughts from Adelaide’s second rally against the Western Australian Shark Cull
When I was asked to speak at Adelaide’s 2nd public demonstration in opposition to the Western Australian shark cull, I seized the opportunity. Prior to the first national day of…
Sunfish sightings in South Australia
Which marine species weighs a tonne on average and resembles a swimming pancake with handles? The Mola mola, or Ocean sunfish must be one of the strangest fishes you’ll ever…
Evolutionary biologist Professor Steve Donnellan’s ‘Wild lives of wildlife’
Several members of the Marine Life Society of South Australia attended a talk hosted by Butterfly Conservation SA last night. The guest speaker was Professor Steve Donnellan from the South…
South Australia’s offshore and inshore islands – Part 1
Last year, I commenced a private study of the islands of Spencer Gulf, tenuously justified as background research on my forthcoming documentary film, Cuttlefish Country. I was struck by the…
Species list: Sharks, rays and skates of Upper Spencer Gulf
A variety of elasmobranchs can be found in the waters of Upper Spencer Gulf in South Australia. In 2008, the Olympic Dam Expansion EIS was published. The document housed the…
2014 whale migration season – First sightings in
The whale watching season is off to an early start in South Australia, with several sightings reported via the SA Whale Centre’s log in recent weeks. From late autumn through…