FUKUIJuly 24 (News about Japan) – A “snapping dolphin” has turned up again this year on a beach in Fukui Prefecture, injuring a high school student. Cameras captured footage of the dolphin swimming in the same waters.
Footage taken on July 21 at Tsuruga Beach in Fukui Prefecture shows a dolphin approaching as if it has found a friend. An incident occurred the same day.
A witness on the same beach noted, โThe dolphin was about 10 feet long.โ
A 13-year-old high school boy who was visiting with his family was bitten on his right hand by the dolphin, causing injury.
Another witness on the beach said: ‘The animal came into shallow water about a foot deep and seemed very friendly.’
In fact, dolphin bite incidents have been occurring in Fukui Prefecture since last year.
Last year, on another beach:
Beach announcement: ‘A dolphin has been spotted. Do not approach or touch him.’
A dolphin appeared right next to people swimming in the sea. A 62-year-old man who was swimming at the time was rammed by the dolphin and suffered broken ribs.
In addition, two years ago, a dolphin appeared on a beach in Fukui City and other locations, biting and injuring at least 20 people.
Is the dolphin that bit the high school student this time the same dolphin as in the previous incidents?
Professor Tsukasa Murayama of Tokai University’s Department of Marine Science noted: ‘Normally, dolphins do not bite humans. It is possible that the same individual does this every year.’
Professor Murayama further explained: ‘It is probably a dolphin that has developed a certain ‘habit’. Because it is used to humans, it can playfully bite them. From the dolphin’s perspective, it is funny because humans react loudly when they are bitten. The best approach is not to get too close and wait until the dolphin forgets this behaviour.’
Source: ANNE
