A flock of 5-4 dolphins of the deadly thick-toothed species was spotted on Friday off the coast of Herzliya, in rare documentation of the animal, which is rarely seen in the Mediterranean Sea.
The dolphins were documented by Tomer, Uri and Zahar from the Derech Hayam club in the city, through the SeaWatch app of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, and it was transferred to the Delphis Association for Marine Mammals in Israel. The three said: "The dolphins we met were different from the ones we usually encounter. They were darker, larger and with a thick, flattened nose. We've never seen those before. It was very exciting. We knew it was important to report so that they would be familiar with the observation."
According to Dr. Aviad Sheinin of Delphis, head of superpredators at the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station of the University of Haifa, the deadly tooth is relatively rare in the Mediterranean, and most of its recent sightings are from the eastern Mediterranean. It is a relative of the killer whale (orca), and is a very impressive once-black dolphin that reaches about six meters in length.
"This is the second report of a deadly wolf flock so far in 2023," Sheinin said. "Reports of deadly tooths in Israel are not common, and Delphis receives only a few reports each year. The interesting change we are witnessing is that in the past, the observations were far from the shore – and in the last three years there have been reports from the vicinity of the coast as well."
One of the dolphins spotted off the coast of Herzliya, photo: Uri Eger
It lives in the Indian Ocean, the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, coastal strips of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic Sea. He is considered a very fast and energetic swimmer, and is also able to jump high out of the water. It feeds in nature mainly on fish and squid of various sizes.
"Proper biodiversity"
Hadas Gan-Perkel, coordinator of the SeaWatch app at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel's Blue Half, said that the band's documentation illustrates the biodiversity worthy of protection in the Israeli sea. "The area of Israel's exclusive economic zone in the Mediterranean Sea covers 21,<> square kilometers, and is similar in scope to the land area of the State of Israel," she noted. "This area, which is entirely defined as deep sea, is used by dolphins, whales, sea turtles and other flag species, as well as as the breeding grounds for bluefin tuna and depth sharks. In this area there are complex and unique habitats, but despite this, it is precisely there that development pressures are increasing: the Ministry of Energy's intentions to expand gas exploration and lay infrastructure for its export, destructive fishing, and intentions for further economic development, such as renewable energies and aquaculture."
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel notes that a new master plan for the protection of the deep sea was recently launched, which is expected to come into effect by 2030, and whose main goal is to protect 30% of Israel's marine area. The plan was adopted by Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman, and was prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Nature and Parks Authority, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the University of Haifa, the Leon Charney School of Marine Sciences of the University of Haifa, the Institute for Marine and Lakes Research in Israel, Tel Aviv University and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History.
A deadly thick-toothed dolphin, Photo: Getty Images
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel notes that as of yesterday, the Mediterranean Sea has seen the recruitment season in which young fish join the adult population, and a sharp increase in the rate of fish caught in trawlers can be observed. Therefore, starting now and for only two months, trawlers in Israel are supposed to go on strike, and the position of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel is that this destructive fishing method must be permanently stopped. If you do spot trawlers at sea, please report it on the SeaWatch app.
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