Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
A pod of dolphins swimming along the coast of Abu Dhabi is delighting social media users.
The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) shared a video by lucky spotter, Shuaib Al Houqani, on September 8, capturing the dolphins gracefully moving through the waves.
The video has garnered over 140,000 views and over 8,000 likes.
Abu Dhabi waters are home to the world’s largest population of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins. Their presence in the emirate’s waters reflects the rich marine life along its coasts and highlights the importance of protecting and preserving their natural habitats, EAD said.
The agency urged people who spot dolphins to admire them from a safe distance and avoid disturbing their natural behaviour.
Dolphins can be spotted in shallow waters and channels around the off-shore islands and the mainland of Abu Dhabi where they occur alone or in groups of up to 24 individuals.
EAD runs long-term research and monitoring programmes on Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins to identify areas that need monitoring and protection. The agency also shares interesting facts about these sea creatures on its website.
Dolphin calves can swim within seconds of birth to follow their mothers.
Dolphins emit unique whistles to identify themselves to members of the same species and pod. Like bats, dolphins use echo-location to navigate and hunt by sending out high pitched sounds and listening for echoes.
They also have to consciously swim to the surface to breathe, which means they cannot fully sleep.
