Rare Deep-Sea Dolphins Spotted Off Australian Coast

Wildlife photographer Jodie Lowe captured something extraordinary during a January birdwatching tour off the coast of Port Macquarie, New South Wales. In waters 400 to 1,000 meters deep, she spotted two rarely photographed dolphin species: the scarred Risso's dolphin and the delicate pantropical spotted dolphin.

Lowe has spent years photographing marine life on whale-watching tours, but this marked her first encounter with these deep-ocean dwellers. Most whale-watching boats stay above the continental shelf in waters only 80 meters deep, where these species simply don't venture.

The Risso's dolphins stood out immediately with their distinctive appearance. These 4-meter-long creatures carry white squiggly marks across their dark grey skin, earning them a resemblance to "marine scribbly gums." The scars come from playful teeth-raking within their own pods, accumulating over a lifetime until older dolphins appear almost white.

Swimming alongside one Risso's pod were pantropical spotted dolphins, much smaller relatives that grow their signature spots as they age. At just 2.6 meters long, they're dwarfed by their common bottlenose cousins that most beachgoers know.

The tour group encountered two separate Risso's pods during their journey, both heading north at similar depths. Fellow photographer Laura Chaffey also captured stunning images that day, creating a valuable scientific record.

Why This Inspires

These photographs represent more than beautiful wildlife moments. Macquarie University scientist Vanessa Pirotta explained that scientists have limited knowledge about these deep-water species, making every quality sighting precious for research.

Pirotta and her colleagues now archive social media posts and photographs like these to build understanding of Australia's cetacean diversity. The images will join databases helping scientists track where these animals travel, how they behave, and how their populations are faring.

The encounter also revealed something heartwarming about Risso's dolphins. Despite their battle-scarred appearance, they're deeply family-oriented creatures living in tight-knit pods of 50 to over 100 members. Those white marks aren't signs of aggression but badges of social bonding, created when males playfully assert dominance within their communities.

Every rare sighting adds another piece to the puzzle of what lives in our ocean's depths, just beyond where most of us can see.