On one side you see the Dingle Harbor, with boats skimming the water, seagulls dancing in the wind, and green rolling hills in the backdrop. Turn 180˚ and you see sheep grazing in the pastures, tractors hard at work, and mountains being kissed by the clouds. In between, the streets are full with kids playing, B&Bs, music, pubs, and, well, tourists.
One day in 1984, a young bottlenose dolphin appeared at the mouth of Dingle Harbor. Paddy Ferriter, the Dingle Harbor lighthouse keeper, watched the lone dolphin escort the town's fishing boats to and from port. By August 1984, local Ministry of Marine manager Kevin Flannery classified him as a "permanent" resident and self-appointed "pilot" of the fleet.
The now world-famous dolphin has remained in Dingle and has become both a friend to the locals and a great sight for visitors. Now refered to as "Fungie" named by local fisherman, the male dolphin lives and plays at the mouth of Dingle Harbor, by the lighthouse. There’s a small cave under the cliffs at Burnham which is thought to be his home. From sunrise to sunset, Fungie is always around to welcome boats, trawlers, and yachts.
Fungie is a fully grown, middle aged, male bottlenose, Tursiops Truncatus. He weighs about a quarter of a ton, 500 lbs, is about four meters long. He is curious and friendly, and often bringing gifts to divers of still living fish, clasped gently within his jaws. However, as if to claim his freedom, Fungie never accepts gifts from divers, or fish thrown from returning trawlers. It is rare that humans can interact with bottlenose dolphins, I haven’t, but Fungie sometimes swims and plays with visitors. He even launches himself out of the water to startle and excite the crowd. He has warmed the hearts of the thousands of people that have travelled from near and far to see and swim with him.
Fungie rarely ventures far from the mouth of the harbor, a fact scientist cant figure out. A possible explanation is that Fungie’s mate once swam in these same waters with him but passed away. At the time of his first sighting, the body of a young female bottlenose washed up on the shore of a local beach. Dolphins may mate for life and it is possible that that dolphin was Fungie’s mate.
Every June and July, schools of dolphins are seen in the area, usually further offshore, and once or twice Fungie went to play with them. His, much-publicized, fling with a young dolphin, named Smokey, was expected to cure his love sickness. But, Smokey left, Fungie stayed, and that was the end of that.
Bottlenose dolphins have an average life expectancy of 25 years. If he was only one when he first moved into the Dingle Harbor, which is unlikely, he would be 31 years old, living beyond the average. He has also often been observed catching Garfish, a species not previously recorded as part of a dolphin's diet. I guess everything about Fungie is different, and we don’t mind.
Although Fungie has been around for a long time and has been described as nothing but friendly, I would like to take the time to say that he is a wild animal. His behavior may fool you, but he is a free animal that you should be caution about how you interact with him. There are many companies that will take you out to see Fungie, but remember you are entering his home without asking. I don’t know dolphins well enough to determine if they are stressed or uncomfortable and I don’t know if the guides know either. Treat him and his habitat with respect, don’t chase him down, let him come to you and keep in mind what the boat is doing to his habitat.
One day in 1984, a young bottlenose dolphin appeared at the mouth of Dingle Harbor. Paddy Ferriter, the Dingle Harbor lighthouse keeper, watched the lone dolphin escort the town's fishing boats to and from port. By August 1984, local Ministry of Marine manager Kevin Flannery classified him as a "permanent" resident and self-appointed "pilot" of the fleet.
The now world-famous dolphin has remained in Dingle and has become both a friend to the locals and a great sight for visitors. Now refered to as "Fungie" named by local fisherman, the male dolphin lives and plays at the mouth of Dingle Harbor, by the lighthouse. There’s a small cave under the cliffs at Burnham which is thought to be his home. From sunrise to sunset, Fungie is always around to welcome boats, trawlers, and yachts.
Fungie is a fully grown, middle aged, male bottlenose, Tursiops Truncatus. He weighs about a quarter of a ton, 500 lbs, is about four meters long. He is curious and friendly, and often bringing gifts to divers of still living fish, clasped gently within his jaws. However, as if to claim his freedom, Fungie never accepts gifts from divers, or fish thrown from returning trawlers. It is rare that humans can interact with bottlenose dolphins, I haven’t, but Fungie sometimes swims and plays with visitors. He even launches himself out of the water to startle and excite the crowd. He has warmed the hearts of the thousands of people that have travelled from near and far to see and swim with him.
Fungie rarely ventures far from the mouth of the harbor, a fact scientist cant figure out. A possible explanation is that Fungie’s mate once swam in these same waters with him but passed away. At the time of his first sighting, the body of a young female bottlenose washed up on the shore of a local beach. Dolphins may mate for life and it is possible that that dolphin was Fungie’s mate.
Every June and July, schools of dolphins are seen in the area, usually further offshore, and once or twice Fungie went to play with them. His, much-publicized, fling with a young dolphin, named Smokey, was expected to cure his love sickness. But, Smokey left, Fungie stayed, and that was the end of that.
Bottlenose dolphins have an average life expectancy of 25 years. If he was only one when he first moved into the Dingle Harbor, which is unlikely, he would be 31 years old, living beyond the average. He has also often been observed catching Garfish, a species not previously recorded as part of a dolphin's diet. I guess everything about Fungie is different, and we don’t mind.
Although Fungie has been around for a long time and has been described as nothing but friendly, I would like to take the time to say that he is a wild animal. His behavior may fool you, but he is a free animal that you should be caution about how you interact with him. There are many companies that will take you out to see Fungie, but remember you are entering his home without asking. I don’t know dolphins well enough to determine if they are stressed or uncomfortable and I don’t know if the guides know either. Treat him and his habitat with respect, don’t chase him down, let him come to you and keep in mind what the boat is doing to his habitat.