On the 11th local time, two men in Fukui City, Japan, were bitten by dolphins on the same beach, which is at least the 15th victim of a dolphin attack in the local area since this summer.
Yuebei Beach warns visitors not to touch dolphins in billboards
Officials in Fukui City, who believed at least six attacks were carried out by the same wild dolphin, are adding ultrasonic transmitters on local offshore buoys and warning beach visitors: Please keep your distance from the dolphins and don't be fooled by their "cute image."
There were 6 incidents of dolphin injuries in one day on the same beach
According to local fukui media, since April 6 this year, residents along the coast of Echizen have witnessed a dolphin in a fishing port. An employee of the Echizen Fisheries Association said: "Since then, dolphins sometimes follow boats (to the fishing port) returning from fishing in the early morning. "In late April and mid-May, some local fishermen witnessed a dolphin swimming slowly behind a fishing boat.
↑In May, witnesses saw wild dolphins swimming at a fishing port in Fukui City
Over the past two months, wild dolphins have swum to many shallow coastal areas and even bathing beaches. Summer Beach not only attracts many tourists, but also becomes a "holiday destination" for wild dolphins. On June 20, local time, the Echizen Matsushima Aquarium received reports of residents being hit by dolphins while diving, but were not injured. By early July, the "physical contact" between wild dolphins and humans escalated.
From its official opening on July 9 to July 25, the Koshiho Beach in Kabuo-cho, Fukui City, received at least 10 reports of being bitten by dolphins in the swimming area, in addition to several reports of contact with dolphins. Among them, the Yuetai Beach Management Committee received six reports of bites in a single day on July 24 alone. In the evening of the same day, a man was bitten by dolphins in multiple places on the shoal at a depth of about 1 meter. The next day, a boy swimming in the Yuebi Beach was "dragged" by dolphins in a swimming circle.
↑Local television reported that swimmers had been attacked by dolphins at the Yueti Beach
According to a nearby shop owner, dolphins appear near the Yuetai Beach twice a week. The beach has been set up with ultrasonic transmitters on offshore buoys since July 26 and warning signs calling on people to keep their distance from dolphins while swimming. However, two more tourists were bitten by dolphins on the beach on the 11th of this month, including a man in his 40s who was bitten in both arms and another boy in his 10s who was bitten by his finger.
Experts: Being hit by dolphins weighing up to 200 kilograms can be life-threatening
At the Hamasumi-cho Eagle's Nest Beach, where dolphins are more frequent, local operators have taken measures such as putting iron rods into the sea and beating them hard, renting and setting up more ultrasonic transmitters to prevent dolphins from approaching. On July 26, local time, a number of tourists were bitten by dolphins on the beach, and it is unclear whether this dolphin is the same dolphin that "committed" the crime in the Yuebei Beach. Eagle's Nest Beach added six ultrasonic transmitters on July 30 and banned swimming after 2 p.m.
↑Currently, the Hawk's Nest Beach in Hamumi Town prohibits people from swimming in the sea after 2 p.m
In response to this series of dolphin injuries, the Fukui Prefectural Police have warned the public: "Although the image of dolphins is usually cute, if you accidentally approach wild dolphins, you may be bitten." So far, people who have been attacked by dolphins have been less injured, but the authorities warned that being attacked by dolphins could still be "life-threatening.". Ryoichi Matsuhara, deputy director of the Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, explained that dolphins that are often witnessed along the coast weigh an estimated 200 kilograms and can swim at full speed to 40 kilometers per hour, and hitting humans may cause internal organ rupture.
As of now, it is unclear what the specific species of dolphins that are "doing evil" in Fukui City are unknown. According to the Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, some species of dolphins may stay in the same place for a long time, becoming familiar with humans and actively approaching. Ryoichi Matsubara added that because it is the breeding season for dolphins, they sometimes make the act of "rubbing around" with their bodies. If people approach or even touch dolphins, they may be in danger of being bitten by them and dragged into the water, so "never go near".
At a time when wild dolphins attacked along the coast of Fukui City, a series of wild monkey attacks on humans occurred in Yamaguchi City, Japan, in July this year. From 8 to 28 July, as many as 61 residents were attacked and injured by wild monkeys, mainly children and the elderly. By setting monkey traps and stepping up patrols, Yamaguchi city authorities have captured two "suspected" wild monkeys at the end of July. Some researchers believe that this series of attacks may be related to factors such as human habitat destruction and an increase in the number of wild monkeys.
Red Star News reporter Hu Yiling
Edited by Yu Dongmei Guo Yu
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