21/9/2011

An entirely new species of dolphin has been discovered in Melbourne, Victoria.

The Burrunan dolphin is one of only 3 new dolphin species discovered since the 1800s. It is known from only 2 populations so far, both in the state of Victoria. Roughly 100 Burrunan dolphins have been found in Port Philip Bay, with another 50 known to visit the lakes of the Gippsland region a few hundred miles away. The dolphin's common name, Burrunan, is an Aboriginal name meaning "large sea fish of the porpoise kind".

By Ker Than for National Geographic News

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