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FRESH WARNINGS ARE being issued by experts, following the arrival of the bottlenose dolphin ‘Dusty’ in the Aran Islands.
You may remember similar warnings being issued last summer after a number of swimmers were injured while interacting with the mammal off Co Clare.
As many as five people were injured by ‘Dusty’ (or ‘Sandy’ as the dolphin’s sometimes called). Warning signs were placed around Doolin harbour, a favourite spot for the animal.
Well — after 14 years or so in the North Clare area, the dolphin’s now frequenting Inis Oírr.
And while the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group’s executive officer Dr Simon Berrow stresses that Dusty is “an amazing dolphin”, meetings have been held locally to determine how to properly warn swimmers.
“There is great concern on the island that Sandy might cause serious injury,” Berrow writes in a post on the IWDG website.
“The sandy beach at Inis Oírr is really the only place people swim and during the summer up to 120 students attend the summer school and swim at the beach.
In July, swimming lessons for children are also held on the beach and again real concerns are being expressed that Sandy might [injure] swimmers.
IWDG experts met with locals and Galway County County officials, and it was decided “doing nothing was not an option,” according to Berrow — who also lectures in marine biology in Galway-Mayo MIT.
“IWDG agreed to prepare posters and leaflets for distribution on the island advising about these concerns.
“It was agreed that the option of excluding a part of the beach so swimmers can swim without being exposed to Sandy needs to be explored. There are lifeguards on the beach only at weekends so the beach is generally unsupervised.
A proposal for a “Dolphin Warden” has been received by Galway County Council under Agenda 21 funding but it is unlikely this can be processed in time for the remaining summer season.
There’ll be a local effort to stress the positives of the Dusty/Sandy experience, and locals and visitors will be encouraged to admire her “from the pier, shore or boats”.
The island welcomes all visitors, including Sandy, but does not want any harm to come to anybody.
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Never trust a dolphin with a mustache.
Especially a fake moustache.
It’s like a cheap Irish version of Jaws..
I remember Dusty 12 years ago in White Strand. My kids loved her. She would swim in and around their legs while they were standing in the water and they could rub her. She was very placid and friendly.
Then various head the balls and hippy types from all over Europe “Germany” turned up and wanted to commune with the dolphin whether she liked it or not. She’s not so friendly now
Brian
She’s s cantankerous old Lady now echo wants her peace and quiet. What do you think?
We’d be angry too if people started trying to grab onto us while we were minding our own business. The sea is her territory and if we want to swim there we need to respect her & her home.
Well said. She has approached me while I was scuba diving and it was great. What I’ve seen done to that dolphin by idiots horrified me. If it was done to a horse there would be uproar
I think some fools poured cider down its blow hole,no wonder its angry !
I’m not saying Dusty is an evil brother of fungi but I’m just saying it shouldn’t be ruled out. See attached and for gods sake be careful out there.
I’m not clicking into that purely because of the name. I’m afraid it’ll be another crouching-tiger-hidden-Brookes article
Its perfectly safe.That’s if you consider Michael Knights evil brother ‘safe’….
Ah yes Dusty, was that the dolphin that had a fat german tourist jump on her last year. Just keep idiots out of the water and the dolphins will be fine
I personally witnessed one of these so called dolphin attacks last year where an idiot child tried to jump on top of her! If you tried to jump on top of a cow he would throw you of. She is a wild animal treat her with respect! My profile photo is me and dusty! LeAve the dolphin alone!
“I think you’re going to need a bigger gaeltacht”
Smart Dolphin, prefers Galway !
A lone dolphin probably needs intimacy, as any socially wired mammal does, so she seeks it out where she can find it if she is not getting it from her own kind. She is probably a bit neurotic though, because she is an outsider. If she was cantankerous around her own kind it probably wouldn’t matter. We are just too fragile to interact with her on an equal basis when she is feeling shirty.
It’s sad for her that she feels like this.
Fungi, as dolphins go, is probably neurotic too, but has a different personality, so his neurosis does not manifest as irritation.
It is also sad that the very Intimacy she needs from time to time is going to be withdrawn through our fear of her unpredictability.
I’m sure that there are divers and water people in her area who are sensitive enough to her moods, and wise enough in the ways of interaction, and get along fine with her by letting her take only what she needs from an encounter.
Myself and a friend were swimming with (presumably) this dolphin about two weeks ago in Inis Oirr. She was, at least on this occasion, an extremely friendly dolphin. We swam with it for about 40 minutes beside the pier until we got cold.
The dolphin seemed to enjoy the company and while coming close kept to a distance of two to three feet. She’s a very large dolphin, probably about 10-12 foot long so should be treated with appropriate caution. She also has quite a number of scars on her side, so has maybe had some less than positive experiences over the years.
Certainly if anyone does come across her, keep a reasonable distance and keep your hands to yourself!
Harpoons at the ready!!
Ahh for flip sake
Wait until she finds out about Garth brooks. She’s gonna bust some heads up then. Anyways if she’s a bit of an oddball the Aran Islands are def the place for her….
I think that a sign post should be placed in the water, warning dolphins and other sea creatures. It should read: ATTENTION – Humans are swimming.
So yesterday great white sharks were safe and today dolphins require a warning, Jesus Christ
Bring in Fungi to sort him out.
After 14 years in North Clare Dusty just decides to leave, hardly anything to do with the recent underwater blasting for the new pier at Doolin… no impact on protected species then!
Dusty didn’t leave doolin on her free will she was shocked with a cattle prod, she sought safety at inis oirr and now people are jumping on her abd hurting her she is a wild animal that has been hurt by humans in the past and now again. It’s no wonder she doesn’t trust humans
Bad-ass-phin.
Shark (Dolphin) fence?
Steve last comment
For the red thumbers and anyone else the fence was not a serious suggestion. Thought people would recognise that
The Japanese have the right idea. Herd them up and beat them to death. Nuisances.
Its all very well for the funny people on here to laugh and joke about this but its very serious. I was on innis oirr a few weeks ago and i had to take a South african man to the doctors surgery after an attack by this dolphin. He was in serious pain and hardly able to walk. The dolphin rammed him extremely hard and at the time his 8 yr old son was in the water with him. This dolphin is highly dangerous and does attack. Our kids have as much right to swim on the beach as the dolphin. If we interfered with her young I am sure she would defend them at all costs. Are we going to put up signs and give out leaflets in the hope that this will not happen again. What will we do if a child is killed. Whats a life of a child worth ?, More the a fish ? Calling a fish “Dusty” makes it all so romantic. Parents going to their kids funeral will not think so. A dog that attacks us will be put down by law. Whats the difference.
Dolphins are not fish! They are highly intelligent mammals unlike some of the morons that are swimming with them. Also the sea is their territory, not that of people & people should respect the fact that these are wild creatures & leave them alone.
Put a bottle over his nose. Then were all safe and know at a glance what species he is.
(^^^)
Hook him ,
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