A dolphin in Ireland is gaining a reputation for being the “world’s angriest dolphin” after attacking a number of swimmers in the sea in Inisheer, one of the Aran Islands in Galway.
In the latest video footage the female dolphin, who has been named Dusty, attacks a swimmer in the shallow waters off the beach. The swimmer runs from the water and her dog does its best to warn Dusty off.
Earlier this month Dusty took her aggression out on the CEO of Barnardo's Fergus Finlay while he was swimming with his family.
"My wife said that she headbutted me. But to my knowledge, a headbutt is head to head contact. This was head to nether regions contact,” Finlay said after the attack.
"She knocked me off onto my backside and mission accomplished, she swam away. I was stiff and sore for a couple of days"
Dusty is thought to have been in the Aran Islands since last year, having previously resided in and around the harbour off Doolin in Clare where she was involved in a number of incidents.
In her most serious attack in August 2013 swimmer Valerie Ryan suffered spinal fractures, broken ribs and a damaged lung after the dolphin lunged at her in the water.
Dusty is reported to actively seek out swimmers to play with and only sometimes turns aggressive. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Water Group have warned beachgoers to be aware of the dangers of swimming with dolphins.
"It's hard to know what is going through Dusty's mind. Is she protecting herself? Does she feel threatened?" said Dr Simon Berrow of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Water Group
"When someone as big as Dusty rams anyone it is going to hurt as she is a big, powerful animal. People do need to be aware that she is a wild animal and unpredictable and to respect that. When you do see the warning signs, leave the water straight away."
Perhaps Dusty needs to take some etiquette lessons from Ron — the seal who has been playing footsie with kayakers in Dorset this summer.