Dreamer the Dolphin
Providenciales
After many years exploring the waters of Providenciales on his own, JoJo the Dolphin has recently expanded his brood. Today, he’s often spotted in the company of his family. To everyone’s surprise, JoJo is the father to a healthy juvenile Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) affectionately known as ‘Dreamer’.
Naturally, Dreamer has garnered a lot of attention due to his playful nature. He is often spotted playing with the sandy bottom, rocks, and shells, enticing snorkelers to play along—and always with his mother keeping a watchful eye. However, due to Dreamer’s particularly playful personality, extra care and precaution should be taken by humans fortunate enough to spot him in our waters.
Where to See Dreamer and JoJo the Dolphin
The best place to spot Dreamer, JoJo, and other resident dolphins in the Turks and Caicos is in the sheltered bay between Grace Bay and Fort George Cay. This includes much of Grace Bay Beach, Leeward Beach, off Little Water Cay, Water Cay, Pine Cay, Sand Dollar Cove, and around Fort George Cay. They appear to favor the areas off Water Cay and Pine Cay, as well as the deeper sections of Grace Bay and Leeward Beach.
Dreamer the Dolphin and his friends can also commonly be seen in the Caicos Banks near Providenciales. This shallow marine bank is extensive and spans between Provo and South Caicos. The popular La Famille Express shipwreck is a notable attraction in the Caicos Banks, and dolphins can sometimes be spotted in the surrounding waters.
Marine Mammal Etiquette
Marine mammals are protected by the Fisheries Protection Ordinance, which states that no person shall engage in the practice of throwing any food into the water for the purposes of feeding, attracting, or harvesting any species of marine life unless authorized to do so by the Director. In addition, no person shall engage in fishing for, molest, or otherwise interfere with any marine mammal.
We recommend that, for the safety of the wildlife, the following etiquette be employed to ensure a safe and respectful encounter for both you and marine life (including dolphins and whales).
- Just float. When you are near marine mammals such as dolphins, the best way to respond to their presence is simply to float. They will come near you if they wish. Show respect by just floating. Do not excessively splash with your arms or legs.
- Do not try to touch marine life under any circumstances. Dolphins in particular are especially loving and affectionate with each other, but that doesn’t mean they want to be touched by a human. No matter how much love you have for them, it is disrespectful (and can be dangerous) to touch them.
- Do not free dive into their space—this is for your safety and theirs.
- Do not dive down toward a resting group of marine mammals. If you dive down toward them and they haven’t noticed you while resting, you will likely wake and startle them. Marine mammals need to sleep to function properly, so please don’t dive down toward them.
- Do not feed them. Apart from being illegal (Fisheries Protection Ordinance Reg 9(1)(h)), feeding wildlife can be extremely dangerous.
- Do not initiate interaction or play games with dolphins. Wild dolphins like to play games with each other. Dolphins do not initiate games with humans, it is the humans who start the interaction. Let’s be observers and be content simply being in their presence.
- Stay away from pregnant female marine mammals. Where there’s a pregnant female, there will also be a courageous alpha protector/escort watching nearby, and they can become aggressive if they think there’s any threat to the pregnant female.
- Do not litter. This means that if you drop something in the ocean, be it a hair tie, snorkel, fins, or any object that doesn’t belong in the ocean, you must retrieve it from the bottom. And if you can’t reach the bottom, you must find someone who can. You can protect marine life by protecting their habitat.
- If you ever see anyone doing something that could hurt marine mammals—anything on this short list—please speak up and educate the offenders. Take the time to explain to them in a kind way why they should not engage in a particular behavior.
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