THE origins of two bottlenose dolphins which have spent at least the last two summers feeding and playing around the cruise ships in Weymouth Bay has been revealed.
Video Credit: Jay-Jaye White
The dolphins have been enjoyed by thousands of visitors from boat trips out of Weymouth Harbour - and the pair have been named as Harry and Wills.
READ MORE: Dolphins in Weymouth Bay 'harassed' by boats
However, following a chance picture posting of one of the animals fins on Twitter, their original identities have now been discovered.
It has been revealed Harry and Wills are a mother and calf pair from the Moray Firth in Scotland, last seen there in 2018.
The mother Honey was first seen in the Moray Firth in 2009 and seen each year up to 2018 while her calf was born in 2016 and remained until 2018.
In between Dorset and Scotland - the Mother and calf pair have reportedly stopped off in Cornwall.
Honey has a smooth dorsal fin, while her calf, also known as Whipper-Snapper, has a highly distinctive bumpy trailing edge to the dorsal fin.
Charlie Phillips, field officer with whale and dolphin conservation, identified them using the University of Aberdeen’s Photo ID catalogue of this population.
He said: "More very familiar dorsal fins seen many miles from home, thanks to Dr. Barbara Cheney from Aberdeen University’s lighthouse field station who runs the dolphin identification project and catalogue for the confirmation, another two dolphins found.
Dr Tom Brereton is the tour Guide for Naturetrek and Dolphin Watch UK and Research Director of the charity Marinelife said.
He said: "I saw the interest the single fin shot generated on Twitter, so I fired many images over to Charlie and the identities were confirmed by Dr Cheney.
"Having conducted photo-identification of English Channel dolphins for many years, I can say this is easily the most incredible re-sighting yet I have been involved with."
Though the dolphins are famed for being seen around the cruise ships, the animals have been in Weymouth Bay since at least the summer of 2019, the year after their Scottish disappearance, with the offspring noticeably smaller back then.
They were more elusive as they ranged over a wider area, then the cruise ships arrived due to the pandemic and they became a huge tourist attraction.
Luke Pettis of snapper charters said: "We’ve observed this mother and calf on a regular basis over the past two years.
"During this time we've witnessed numerous behaviours, including feeding, jumping and synchronised diving."
"It's amazing to know more of their story and learn of the distance they've travelled to get here."
Andy Tucker, General Manager at Naturetrek, said: "One small blessing brought about by the limited opportunities for overseas travel, caused by pandemic, has been our need as a wildlife tour operator to focus more on some of the wonderful wildlife spectacles we have here in the UK.
"This heart-warming story follows a long line of exciting sightings enjoyed by our clients off the Dorset and Devon coasts including Thresher, Basking and Mako Sharks, Bluefin Tuna, Sunfish, rare White-beaked Dolphins and a wide range of exciting seabirds."
WDC recommends that people should enjoy encounters with dolphins from a distance and with reputable vessel operators.
UK seas are a special place for dolphins and whales, being home to 21 species, more than anywhere else in northern Europe.
They are a rapidly growing destination for marine recreation and tourism, which is increasing levels of disturbance. Many species are seen close to shore and disturbance happens when people get too near to marine wildlife, disrupt their natural behaviours and cause them stress.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel