A young female bottlenose dolphin has been staying near the central beach of Saint-Jean-de-Luz since mid-October. The dolphin surfaces close to shore, weaving among swimmers, and appears to have been expelled from her pod. She is over two meters long, weighs between 200 and 250 kilograms, and is believed to be six to eight years old and not yet mature. Observers say she shows curiosity toward humans and likely can hear other dolphins over long distances. Her presence has raised safety concerns as temperatures rise and the summer season approaches. Beach authorities ask people to behave responsibly and warn that inappropriate conduct can lead to a €750 fine, citing risks from gatherings and attempts to surround her.
"The female cetacean has been lingering just off the southwestern town's central beach since mid-October. On a recent morning, with the heat already intense and the beach crowded, a dolphin's fin was seen regularly rising above the water just a few meters from the shore, weaving among the swimmers. Pascale Fossecave, an oceanographer and the city's deputy for environmental affairs who has been observing the animal, said she had apparently been expelled from her pod."
"The dolphin has been seeking "social interaction", readily approaching the shore and displaying a marked "curiosity toward humans", Fossecave said. Measuring over two meters in length and weighing between 200 and 250 kilograms, the dolphin is believed to be between six and eight years old and has not yet reached maturity, she added. "The reason why she came here escapes us," Fossecave said."
""These animals do not get lost. They can communicate over distances of up to 20 kilometres," she added. "We know she can hear the other animals." While the dolphin has thrilled locals, her presence has also raised concerns about her safety, as well as that of swimmers, as the summer season approaches and France endures scorching temperatures this week."
"Authorities have called on beach-goers to behave responsibly, warning that inappropriate conduct could result in a €750 fine, said Bixente Luberriaga, head of beach safety. "Unfortunately, we end up managing humans more than the dolphin, because it's human behaviour that causes problems," said Fossecave. "We see gatherings and attempts to surround her, which can create risky situations.""
Read at The Local France
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