Latest news with #LyndaMacDonald
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Public warned to keep away from injured dolphin filmed with Dorset swimmers
The public has been warned to keep away from an injured dolphin that was filmed dancing and playing with swimmers off the coast of Dorset earlier this month. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), a government-backed agency responsible for England's seas, said it was 'increasingly concerned about a lone dolphin spotted in Lyme Bay, Dorset, following multiple potential marine wildlife disturbance offences observed online and shared on social media'. The post showed an image of a bottlenose dolphin, who has been nicknamed Reggie, that appeared to have a gash on the right side of its torso beneath its dorsal fin, which it said was not part of a pod. The dolphin appeared in a viral clip in early August in the bay alongside Lynda MacDonald, her partner, her son and his girlfriend as they were out for a swim. The dolphin bobbed in and out of the water, playfully engaging them and receiving belly rubs. Though the interaction appeared jovial and harmless, the MMO has issued a strict warning that such encounters 'can harm dolphins leading to injury, death, or aggression', urging the public to keep its distance. The MMO said the public should 'never swim with, touch, feed, or approach dolphins. If a dolphin approaches you, calmly leave the area.' 'Human interaction can cause dolphins to lose their natural wariness, leading to injury or even death,' the agency added. 'Disturbed dolphins are also known to become aggressive toward people. 'Dolphins may seem friendly, but they are wild animals. The dolphin in Lyme Bay has already been injured by a suspected boat propeller,' the MMO said. 'Let's protect them by keeping our distance and please share this message to respect their space.' Whale and Dolphin Conservation, a charity dedicated to protecting wild dolphins and whales, says dolphins can be disturbed not only by jetskis and motorboats but any intrusive human interaction. When people encounter dolphins, the WDC advises keeping a safe distance, leaving after about 15 minutes, and ensuring no more than two boats are within 300 metres of a group of dolphins. According to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 28 different species of whales, dolphins and porpoises have been recorded in UK waters – including four types of dolphin: bottlenose, common, Risso's and white-beaked. There are an estimated 700 bottlenose dolphins living off the UK's shores. They can be encountered fairly regularly off the British coast, potentially coming into contact with swimmers or people sailing, interactions that can cause the animals harm.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Telegraph
Swimmers told to stay away from Reggie the dancing dolphin or risk being attacked
The public has been warned to stay away from Reggie the dancing dolphin who was maimed by a boat propeller after playing with swimmers. Experts have warned the bottlenose dolphin could die or become aggressive if swimmers, fishermen, and boaters do not steer clear. The dolphin went viral online earlier this month after joining swimmers in Lyme Bay, Dorset, for an early morning dip. Video footage showed the creature leaping vertically out of the water before swimming in and around Lynda MacDonald, 50, her partner, her son and his girlfriend on Aug 3. But the animal, which appears to be living on its own and not part of a pod, has since been photographed with gashes seemingly caused by a boat's propeller. The Marine Management Organisation, a government quango, has now said it is 'concerned' by the footage, saying that humans should 'never' interact with dolphins because they lose their 'natural wariness, leading to injury or even death'. A spokesman said: 'We're increasingly concerned about a lone dolphin spotted in Lyme Bay, Dorset, following multiple potential marine wildlife disturbance offences observed online and shared on social media. 'Please remember: never swim with, touch, feed, or approach dolphins. If a dolphin approaches you, calmly leave the area. 'Human interaction can cause dolphins to lose their natural wariness, leading to injury or even death. Disturbed dolphins are also known to become aggressive toward people.' They added: 'Dolphins may seem friendly, but they are wild animals. The dolphin in Lyme Bay has already been injured by a suspected boat propeller. 'Let's protect them by keeping our distance and please share this message to respect their space.' Mrs MacDonald had previously described swimming with the dolphin as a 'magical moment'. 'Out of nowhere, the dolphin immediately approached us and wanted to join in on the action,' she said. 'It was friendly and playful. It even started guiding members of our group along the water with its beak. 'It was not distressed by our presence and was very confident around us. I've seen a dolphin before, but this is something I'll remember forever.' Liz Sandeman, who leads Marine Connection's solitary, a sociable dolphin project, added: 'When lone dolphins start spending time closer to shore, unquestionably their behaviour does change within months. 'They quickly become accustomed to humans and boats, losing their instinctive fear and caution, which could potentially put them at greater risk. 'Solitary, sociable dolphins represent a unique behavioural group that requires focused conservation efforts, and this individual dolphin needs protection now more than ever. 'It is important that everyone is aware of the fact that disturbing dolphins is against the law, and that these are large, powerful, wild animals.' Bottlenose dolphins are native to Britain and there are estimated to be 700 around the country's shores, normally swimming in pods. Disturbing dolphins can result in prison sentence Earlier this month, boaters in Cornwall were also warned to stay away from dolphins after footage showed the dorsal fins of five had been damaged. Two of the mammals' fins had been completely cut off, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust said. A spokesman for the charity said the injuries had likely been caused by high-speed watercraft or boat propellers. It is illegal to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or disturb cetaceans – whales, dolphins, and porpoises – under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Approaching or recklessly disturbing a dolphin can result in a prison sentence of up to six months and an unlimited fine.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Public warned to keep away from injured dolphin filmed with Dorset swimmers
The public has been warned to keep away from an injured dolphin that was filmed dancing and playing with swimmers off the coast of Dorset earlier this month. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), a government-backed agency responsible for England's seas, said it was 'increasingly concerned about a lone dolphin spotted in Lyme Bay, Dorset, following multiple potential marine wildlife disturbance offences observed online and shared on social media'. The post showed an image of a bottlenose dolphin, who has been nicknamed Reggie, that appeared to have a gash on the right side of its torso beneath its dorsal fin, which it said was not part of a pod. The dolphin appeared in a viral clip in early August in the bay alongside Lynda MacDonald, her partner, her son and his girlfriend as they were out for a swim. The dolphin bobbed in and out of the water, playfully engaging them and receiving belly rubs. Though the interaction appeared jovial and harmless, the MMO has issued a strict warning that such encounters 'can harm dolphins leading to injury, death, or aggression', urging the public to keep its distance. The MMO said the public should 'never swim with, touch, feed, or approach dolphins. If a dolphin approaches you, calmly leave the area.' 'Human interaction can cause dolphins to lose their natural wariness, leading to injury or even death,' the agency added. 'Disturbed dolphins are also known to become aggressive toward people. 'Dolphins may seem friendly, but they are wild animals. The dolphin in Lyme Bay has already been injured by a suspected boat propeller,' the MMO said. 'Let's protect them by keeping our distance and please share this message to respect their space.' Whale and Dolphin Conservation, a charity dedicated to protecting wild dolphins and whales, says dolphins can be disturbed not only by jetskis and motorboats but any intrusive human interaction. When people encounter dolphins, the WDC advises keeping a safe distance, leaving after about 15 minutes, and ensuring no more than two boats are within 300 metres of a group of dolphins. According to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 28 different species of whales, dolphins and porpoises have been recorded in UK waters – including four types of dolphin: bottlenose, common, Risso's and white-beaked. There are an estimated 700 bottlenose dolphins living off the UK's shores. They can be encountered fairly regularly off the British coast, potentially coming into contact with swimmers or people sailing, interactions that can cause the animals harm.
Wales Online
5 days ago
- Wales Online
Family left 'stunned' as dolphin joins their morning swim
Family left 'stunned' as dolphin joins their morning swim A family were out for their morning swim when a huge bottlenose dolphin joined them in the water, and the cheeky creature was not afraid to ask for some 'cuddles' Dolphin swims with family A family were left gobsmacked when a playful dolphin joined them for their morning swim, leaping around them and seemingly asking for belly rubs. Lynda MacDonald, 50, along with her partner, son and his girlfriend, embarked on their 6am dip at Lyme Bay, Dorset on 3 August. There are also often lots of dolphins spotted around Wales, like this time a lucky group of locals spotted several pods of dolphins off the south Wales coast. You can read more about that here. Shortly after the family in Dorset dived off their boat for a splash, they were joined by a large bottlenose dolphin. Photos capture the cheeky mammal appearing to ask for cuddles and even guiding swimmers across the waves with its snout. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Lynda, who works in marketing and splits her time between West London and Dorset, said: "It was a magical moment, I'm so glad I caught it on camera. "Out of nowhere, the dolphin immediately approached us and wanted to join in on the action. It was friendly and playful. It even started guiding members of our group along the water with its beak.", reports the Mirror. Article continues below "It was not distressed by our presence and was very confident around us. I've seen a dolphin before, but this is something I'll remember forever." While dolphins are often associated with photos of families at sun-kissed holiday destinations, they frequently appear on UK shores, according to the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Dolphin swims with family There are 28 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises living in British coastal waters, several of which have been spotted in Dorset. Bottlenose dolphins tend to spend more time closer to shore than other species, making them easier to spot from both land and sea. "The sea belongs to dolphins- we were lucky to spend a moment with it," Lynda said. "You can hear the footage audio that the dolphin was happy to interact with us. But we were mindful; we played for five minutes and then let it go on its way." The family were delighted when they were joined by a surprise visitor Lynda and her family's remarkable encounter with the dolphins follows after a pod of the marine mammals created "quite a stir" when they appeared off the Yorkshire coastline. The group, believed to consist of 225 dolphins, emerged in late July near Scarborough, and was thought to have journeyed south from Moray Firth. Fred Tiles, an amateur wildlife enthusiast who observed the pod as they frolicked through the waters, told the BBC they had ventured "really close to shore and Marine Drive is filled with people with binoculars and cameras watching them breaching and throwing fish". Article continues below Grant Ellis, from The Sea Mammal Research Unit, told the broadcaster oceanic conditions were probably the reason behind their decision to migrate southwards. He said: "There have been a lot of marine heatwaves going on and it could also be that environmental conditions in Yorkshire are improving - it's something we're investigating."
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Fears for playful dolphin who DANCED with family in incredible video at popular UK beach after it's ‘hit by a boat'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FEARS have been raised for a dolphin that was spotted playing happily with a family in the water before it was found injured by a boat. Lynda MacDonald, 50, and her partner, son and his girlfriend, set out for their 6am morning swim at Lyme Bay, Dorset on August 3 when they encountered the friendly dolphin. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The playful creature happily swam amongst the family but was sadly found injured later Credit: SWNS 4 The bottlenose appeared out of nowhere while the family were out for a morning swim but experts have warned swimmers not to interact with the friendly creatures Credit: SWNS 4 Swimmers were able to touch the dolphin before letting it go on its way after a few minutes Credit: SWNS Just moments after leaping into the chilly water the family encountered a curios bottlenose dolphin. The playful dolphin dances across the water towards the astonished family before swimming on its back and asking for belly rubs. Sadly, the dolphin seen in the footage has since been found injured by a boat in the Lyme Bay area. Wildlife experts have warned swimmers to avoid the creatures and fear for other dolphins around the UK's coast. Lynda, who works in advertising, said about her encounter: "Out of nowhere, the dolphin immediately approached us and wanted to join in on the action. "It was friendly and playful. It even started guiding members of our group along the water with its beak. "It was not distressed by our presence and was very confident around us. "I've seen a dolphin before, but this is something I'll remember forever." Lynda described the encounter as "magical" adding how glad she was to have caught it on camera. Dolphins appear in UK waters fairly regularly, according to the Dorset Wildlife Trust there are 28 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises in British coastal waters. Dolphins surround kayakers off coast of Scots beauty spot The creatures are curios and playful and will approach boats and even sometimes come close to swimmers. But marine experts have asked tourists to stay away from the playful animals, raising concerns for the safety of the sea creatures. Touching the animals can leave them vulnerable to predators according to experts. Swimmers have also been warned away from feeding dolphins any animal food, which may kill them. Lynda said about her encounter: "You can hear the footage audio that the dolphin was happy to interact with us. "But we were mindful; we played for five minutes and then let it go on its way." The UK is thought to have a population of around 700 coastal bottlenose dolphins. The species is renowned for being sociable and playful, often interacting with vessels. They are regularly seen off the coast of the UK and spend a large amount of time in coastal waters. Bottlenose dolphins are commonly seen in Moray Firth, Scotland, Cardigan Bay, Wales, and off the coasts of Cornwall and Northumberland. Playing with dolphins could stress the animals and disrupt their behaviour, migration and feeding. Dolphins, along with whales and other porpoises, are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Approaching or disturbing a dolphin can result in up to six months in prison as well as an unlimited fine.
