Authorities in central Japan are urging beachgoers to beware of dolphins after a sharp increase in bite cases, which one expert says could be the culprit.
According to the local coast guard in Tsuruga, 18 beachgoers have been bitten at several beaches in the Fukui region this year, with only a few dolphin-related injuries reported in the past two years.
Most of the bites were minor - some were just scratches - but in one recent incident, an elementary school child received 20-30 stitches, coastguard official Shoichi Takeuchi told AFP.
At Suishohama Beach, also known as Diamond Beach, the local tourist association is urging vigilance, posting warnings on its website and handing out leaflets advising people not to approach or touch the animals.
"Dolphins are usually calm creatures, but they can make you bleed by biting you with their sharp teeth, drag you underwater and, in the worst case, endanger your life," the association warns online.
The Coast Guard said it was unclear whether a single dolphin was behind the incidents or whether there were multiple culprits.
However, one expert believes that a runaway dolphin may be responsible for the incidents, given its distinctive markings, such as its dorsal fin and wounds.
"It's probably the work of the same specimen," Tadamichi Morisaka, a professor of cetology at Mie University, told NHK television.
“Instead of trying to harm people, it may be seeking to interact with them as it does with other dolphins.” | BGNES
