Dolphins in the City

This chapter provides an account of a premier wildlife tourism attraction, taking place at the Dolphin Discovery Centre (DDC), located within the regional city of Bunbury, Western Australia. The DDC currently provides the opportunity for visitors and locals to engage in a wildlife experience focused on wild Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins that are present where the shoreline meets the city. The chapter explores the history and development of the DDC and highlights that a significant wildlife tourism attraction is possible within an urban centre when appropriate recognition, tourism management, research and environmental considerations are put into place. Wildlife tourism and operations such as the DDC provide income to the community, job opportunities and an increase in tourist visitation to a city through personal and online word of mouth. Having significant wildlife tourism experiences such as those offered by the DDC are important for many reasons especially in small regional cities such as Bunbury, Western Australia.