The bottlenose dolphins were spotted close to Dubai’s shoreline. Photo: Instagram/@uaedolphinproject
For what may be the first time since 2013, bottlenose dolphins have made their way closer to Dubai’s coast. The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were recently spotted by a couple of sailors off Dubai’s shoreline, near Burj Al Arab, close to The World Islands.
According to the UAE Dolphin Project which focuses on investigating coastal dolphins, the pod’s appearance at the shore may have been a result of a lack of human activity and noise as UAE’s precautionary measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 include restrictions on movement and the suspension of some construction work. “Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are familiar to the UAE waters but the interesting point of this sighting is that they have been reported so close to shore,” shared project founder Ada Natoli with The National. “No noise, no boats, and no construction work have allowed these beautiful creatures to visit the shores and enjoy the quietness.”
Photo: Instagram/@uaedolphinproject
Recalling the sighting with the newspaper sailor Tom Lynch said, “We were preparing to come back into port as it was close to sunset when all these beautiful dolphins surfaced very close to us. I got my phone out and started to shoot some video, they were fantastic.”
Adding: “It was very quiet, just a couple of boats a kilometer or so away. Maybe that was why they were in so close. It was very unusual and the first time I have seen dolphins in Dubai. Some were swimming very fast and having great fun alongside us. It was an amazing thing to see.”
Photo: Instagram/@uaedolphinproject
While the pandemic has lead to unprecedented changes to the world’s social and economic landscapes, it has also caused small yet significant positive impacts on the environment. Many parts across the globe have seen a drop in pollution rates and animals, feeling less threatened by humans due to their absence have taken to roaming more freely. In a similar incident in Spain, the lack of human-made noise has also attracted whales and dolphins to the Spanish coast.
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