
Male Dolphin Alliances in Mandurah
Dolphins are known to be highly social and intelligent animals that display complex behaviours. It is no surprise that outside of humans the most complex social groups and structures have been found in bottlenose dolphins. Specific research supporting this has been done on a population of dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia and similar behaviours have also been observed with our dolphins here in Mandurah.
Male dolphins form strong bonds with other males, this is called an alliance. The formation of an alliance is regarded as one of the most socially complex male mating strategies in mammals. Male alliances can be seen side by side synchronously as they travel, rest and socialise together.

Above: Male alliances resting together, also known as “snagging” © Photo Mandurah Dolphin Rescue Group

Above: Two of Mandurah’s male dolphin leaping in sync © Photo Natalie Goddard
Research findings in Shark Bay indicated that each male alliance maintains friendly relations with one or two other alliances in the community. They have been seen to join forces, forming multiple level alliances to confront rival males. Studies have also shown that the success of an alliance seems to increase with age as they strengthen their position within the male alliance hierarchy. In Mandurah there are certain male dolphins that are consistently seen together which suggests these may be alliances. During the mating season you will notice a lot more social activity, with other males coming in from the coastal waters to seek the females and to compete with the resident male alliances. We look forward to finding out more information with the research currently being done by the Mandurah Dolphin Research Project. Some of the males often seen together are:
- Zero One (suspected to be one of the older dominant males), Fourteen and Blake
- Frankenstein, Bitts and Hook
- Tooth, Ruby and Crook
- Lemmy and Yoyo are younger males more recently seen together
- John Edwards, Jack Daniels and Jim Beam are often seen in the Dawesville Cut

Above: Zero One and Fourteen © Photo Mandurah Dolphin Rescue Group

Above: Tooth and Ruby © Photo Natalie Goddard

Above: Hook and Frankenstein ©Photo Mandurah Dolphin Rescue Group

Above: John Edwards and Jim Beam © Photo Mandurah Dolphin Rescue Group