A dolphin believed to be responsible for nearly 50 attacks on humans in recent years may have been doing so because it was lonely, experts say.
Since July 21, there have been 18 attacks on swimmers in a coastal city in southern Japan, all believed to be by the same male bottlenose dolphin, NBC reported, citing Japan’s NHK.
Attacks usually involve a single dolphin that appears to be alone, which is unusual because bottlenose dolphins are a highly social species that stick together tightly.
Morisaka, who is part of the Dolphin Communication Project, told NBC that it is unusual for bottlenose dolphins of this species to even approach humans, much less bite them.
This dolphin seems to be used to interacting with humans after doing so for several years.
He said the bites appeared to be playful, suggesting the dolphin “primarily wanted to interact with people” rather than attack or injure them.
But because dolphins have very sharp teeth, even a slight bite can cause serious injury.
Swimmers in the area are now being warned to get out of the water if they see a dolphin.
NHK reported last week that a man in his 50s was bitten on both hands by a dolphin that approached him as he tried to fend it off on a beach in the nearby city of Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture.
He is the 18th victim of a dolphin since July 21 and the second within a few days. In the past three years, 48 people in the area have been bitten by dolphins, NHK reported, with some suffering broken bones.
Morisaka said injuries to the dorsal fin of the dolphin involved in last week’s attack matched those of a dolphin spotted off the coast last year.
The dorsal fin is unique to each dolphin, much like a fingerprint.
“It is reasonable to assume that it is the same individual,” Morisaka told NHK.
Elizabeth Hawkins, chief executive and founder of Dolphin Research Australia, said the attacks appeared to have been carried out by a “social solitary dolphin” who had isolated herself from normal dolphin society, although it was not clear why.
Hawkins said that when stranded alone, dolphins “try to fulfill their natural social desires with other species and often seek out humans.”
“When they are socially isolated, they can be quite brash, aggressive and bite,” she added.
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