Concerns mount over dolphin
(CNS): The continued presence of an increasingly aggressive lone male bottlenose dolphin in the North Sound is posing something of a problem for Cayman’s Department of Environment and officials say they have now contacted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s marine expert to see if they can helpcome up with a strategy. The dolphin recently pinned a local diver to the sea bed and the aquatic mammal’s antics have caught the attention of the international media after footage of the dolphins sexually aggressive behaviour was posted on YouTube. Stinky, as the young dolphin has been nick-named, poses a considerable danger and the DoE is urging people to stay away from him.
"Reports to the Department of Environment suggest that the dolphin is becoming increasingly persistent in seeking out interaction with swimmers and divers,” DoE Director of the DoE, Gina Petrie-Ebanks said. “Continued human interaction, especially feeding, will worsen this problem and discourage the dolphin from reintegrating with the wild dolphins that occasionally pass through our waters. The DoE has now established contact with NOAA and will be liaising with their marine mammal experts early next week with a view to developing a strategy for dealing appropriately with this animal.”
In the meantime, the doE director asked that anyone who encounters the dolphin to report their observation to the department by emailing DoE@gov.ky or calling 949-8469.
“As the dolphin could inadvertently injure a swimmer or diver during an interaction, the DoE is continuing to advise the public to avoid entering the water to swim with the animal. Anyone who is approached by the dolphin while diving, snorkelling, or swimming should leave the water as soon as possible," Petrie-Ebanks added.
The video shows exactly how sexually aggressive and persistent the dolphin, which has been hanging around the North Sound throughout the summer, can be.
"Observing a wild dolphin is a rare privilege in the Cayman Islands,” said DoE Research Officer Janice Blumenthal, but she warned that lone wild dolphins can be unpredictable and dangerous.
"People who have approached the dolphin have reported 'jaw-clapping', which is the dolphin rapidly snapping its mouth open and shut. Dolphins use behaviours such as jaw-clapping to communicate dominance among members of the pod. In interactions with swimmers, this can convey agitation and aggression and is a clear warning sign," she added.
The reasons why some dolphins become solitary are not well known. While some lone dolphins have become famous for their friendly behaviour, international marine mammal experts have many concerns for the safety of lone dolphins and people when interactions occur. The dolphins sometimes display aggressive and sexual behaviours directed toward swimmers who approach or harass them, leading to serious injuries and even death. In addition, veterinary experts are concerned about the potential for transfer of diseases from dolphins to humans and vice versa.
In Grand Cayman, reports have been received for several years of a solitary dolphin resident in the North Sound. It is not known whether the animal currently being seen is the same long-term resident dolphin. However, given its smaller size when first sighted, DOE believes it might be a young animal which was separated from its pod.
See YouTube video here.
Category: Science and Nature
Please don't harm the Dolphin!
I would suggest that we pose a large threat to the dolphin! It's just a matter of time before one someone spears or beats the animal with a boat oar! Remember the Pelicans that were savagely beaten to death! Yes, be careful with him but remember, you are in his environment!!
Please do not hurt him!!
I need to watch this video – he probably thinks the human is in trouble and trying to save him! Sexual harrassment by a dolphin? Keep your mind out of the guter please!!! Only in Cayman!!!
It is a common and documented occurrence. Watch the video it is clear form the arousal of the male dolphin that he in not on a "rescue " mission
After reading a science article dolphins do become sexually aggresive.
There have been tests done with human dummys and groups of young male
dolphins will sexually attack and drag them under. People seem to forget that
these are still wild creatures and they have their instinctive habits and ways.
Best to stay clear of them
doesn't DoE has anything else to do? Leave the animal alone and put your effors someplace else. Dumb people will always do dumb things- let them be -take risks and rewards of their stupid behaviour. The dolphin has nothing to do with it. Ocean is his home. Has anyone watched "Saving Luna?" A heartbreaking documentary.
What are they feeding him with? Viagra>
He’s getting aggressive because all his buddies are locked up and calling for help!
GET US THE F$&K OuUT OF HERE!!! and he can’t figure out how…
How about we release the other captive dolphins so they can all go live in peace together?
It’s no coincidence he is mysteriously just “hanging around” in North Sound!
I agree! Free the prisoners!
This dolphin just needs some lovin!
A therapeutic massage is in order!
But with a happy ending 16:03!
"If you can't get a womaaaan … tek' a man,
Is the only solutioooon … tek' a man!"
Poor ol' Stinky – a simple pair of longer fins could have prevented this entire debacle.
I hear that in the UK thanks to their wicked oppressive past and present colonial policies the dolphins are behaving much worse than is evident on the part of this one here in the Cayman islands.
Sounds like someone else could benefit from a longer pair of 'pectoral fins' as well.
"What have the British ever done for us?"
Paved Roads…
All right, but apart from the roads, the clearing of the swamps, the underpinning common law and the support of the Privy Council, the international representation, defence, financial oversight, public order support and the financial services assistance which is the basis of the entire Cayman success story, what have the British done for us?
Interesting post, however, up until not very long ago we were known as "the islands that time forgot".
Therefore, it may be the case that anything that was done for the Cayman Islands,was primarily on the selfish behalf of others and not necessarily the Cayman Islands.
Just saying …
"The Islands Time Forgot" appears to be an expression manufactured to attract immigrants. It first shows up April 1950 as the title of an article in Saturday Evening Post. It goes on to promise "a furnished house and three servants cost forty dollars a month, and you can make a good living as a beachcomber."
Yet more evidence that whatever was done was not necessarily for the benefit of Caymanians.
Not to say we did not benefit, however we need to keep things in perspective – especially when one considers the time and coincidental 'acts' throught the 'empire'.
Quite right, whodatis. We were pretty much ignored or forgotten about but now they are reason for all our success and development.
Yep.
Apparently my impoverished Granny and her tribe of children along with my, relatively absentbut sea-sailing, Grandpa had absolutely nothing to do with where we stand at the moment.
I guess they were simply existing … taking up space and oxygen.
Even I don't know about the days when the mosquitos would cover and smother entire cows, but I'll be damned if I allow another to discredit the role my forefathers played in bringing forward a respectable, peaceful and civil society despite the economic hardships.
Where did you get your humor bypass?
Arden!
Other than that….Damn little… 🙂
Brought peace?
Is your housemaid on holiday?
I ask because you only have 2 thumbs up instead of your usual 3.
I must admit – that was a pretty good one there, Ed!
🙂
Curses! How did you recognise me? Did you give me a "lol"?
Sure did!
Thanks. In that case I unilaterally declare a (temporary) truce.
I was about to agree but then realized yours was a unilateral motion.
In any event, I am happy to hear it. Life is too short for online beef.
(Until next time … buwahahahahaaa!!)
For hundreds of years, people have never felt comfortable with anything wild unless it can be either captured or killed. If captured, the animals would serve no other function then to be "entertained" by ignorant human beings who believe that freedom was only meant for humans to enjoy. Killing however is much easier to do to solve the problem, if there ever was any but it makes the threat go away, permanently and then usually for the extended purpose of being eaten by of course, humans.
The case with Stinky, a name I would much rather give to humans in a lot of cases, is no more a threat to humans then he would be in a prison tank. Imprisoned dolphins, with their superior intelligence being a marine mammal, has learned or rather adapted to the fact that the animal awaits a feeding of some discription being dead fish in exchange for doing tricks which beats starving to death. Dolphins do like to interact with other species other then their own which totally works against them as humans simply do not know what to expect from them in the wild hence the outcry as to what to do with this guy. Answer: Do nothing and just leave him alone. Over time, they have shown great compassion towards humans otherwise nobody would dare try to swim with them in a tank, a compassion by the way not returned to them by humans doing so under the guide that we may learn something from them which proves our own level of intelligence doesn't it?
We can only hope that this dolphin may be adopted by the next pod that comes our way, sooner rather then later as humans can not be trusted to allow nature to take it's course the way it was intended (and this is just one example). Humans also generally forget that most if not all animals are on this earth to either feed us or to entertain us in some form or another, a privilege no animal on this planet has for their benefit. Humans need animals, animals do not need humans except those we have forced over time in to domestication and I repeat, for our pleasure, not theirs.
We can not expect respect from animals including our domesticated ones, if we do not treat them with equal respect. First I might add.
Is he a UDP dolphin or a PPM dolphin?
Well he is trying to screw someone so you take a guess??????
So, it's fine to confine a dolphin and let people swim with it, but it's not okay to swim with one where it should be – in the wild. Let's face it, a dolphin held in confinement is just a wild animal that has been forced into submission and could "turn" on a person without warning. Therefore, if someone wants to swim with the dolphins and the dolphins wants to swim with humans, let it be done where the dolphin isn't forced into submission – and take your risks as they come.
The problem is that no one has found a way to expolit this creature for $$$$…yet. Hopefully the chuckleheads from the dolphin prisons will not be allowed access to Stinky. We all know what would happen then.
I would much prefer this type of media attention compared to what we have been getting !!!! Why don't we invest in a trained female companion for him ??? They may hang around, producing a wonderful tourist attraction 😀
Do you mean female or female dolphin? The man and the horse was bad enough…….
Stinky got Kinky
"Mount" being the operative word! Sorry I just had to 🙂
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
The solution is clear. Dont try and play Flipper with a wild dolphin. It has every right to be be in the sound and people have been advised not to get too close. A dolphin in the ocean is only a problem when we make it a problem. You dont hear sharks complaining about the traffic problem that we have in Cayman. Leave it alone. I reports come of somebody getting beat up (in either a sexual or physical way) we know that they were too close.
Goodness I don't know why the major debate re the poor dolphin. Dolphins are wild creatures. That said they are extremely intelligent, sensitive and have an affiliation with humans. Humans and dolphins can sometimes go hand in hand. This dolphin is a lone dolphin and clearly looking for a playmate. Watching the video footage last week Tuesday http://www.cayman27news.ky you will note two different stories. The first chap who appeared a very angry individual was obviously trying to get his view point across expressing his discontent for the dolphin because he was attacked him. Then you watch the second clip from a Mr. David Evans where his encounter was totally different. It is all about the aura you give off whilst in the ocean and the respect you show. Mr. Evans clearly had a beautiful encounter. You can see the dolphin smiling and playing with him. It is all about different karmas. I say leave the dolphin a lone and get a life. There are far bigger things to deal with on the planet earth than spending time with creatures that belong in the ocean. We should respect their world. If you can’t then you should not be in the ocean. I rest my case.
He will eat at least 20lbs of fish a day, lets say on average one reef fish is half a pound (probably less) so thats at least 40 reef fish a day. Thats the equivalent of about 15,000+ reef fish a year. Can the North Sound sustain the added pressure that Kinky brings? Can you please shed some light on this, Frank? You do sound like the expert after all.