“Bollywood dolphins attack porpoises in Danish waters”, writes the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) in an article. They attack what-for-something, you think? Fear not. Dolphins have not started beach cutting. Marsvin is the Danish word for porpoise. According to biologists from SDU, Fjord & Bælt and the Technical University of Denmark, the dolphins play so violently with the porpoises that they lose their lives. They have documented at least two porpoises killed in Svendborg in the last two years. A killed porpoise washed ashore in Middelfart by the Lillebælt. Photo: Middelfart municipality/Facebook But experts believe there may be far more porpoise kills. On Funen, three killed porpoises have been observed in the last few months alone, according to local media. The phenomenon is not unusual. In fact, it has happened so many times worldwide that there is a separate technical term for the murders: Porpicide. Likely sexual frustration According to Magnus Wahlberg, researcher at SDU, male dolphins are behind the violent behaviour. It is especially during the mating season that porpoises end up in the firing line. – It could be due to sexual frustration, he says to Danish TV 2. He emphasizes that porpoises are far from threatened with extinction. But the researchers fear that if more dolphins come to Denmark, it will affect the porpoise population. They have therefore begun to follow dolphins and porpoises at close range with underwater microphones, to see if the porpoises are driven away. One of the dolphins they keep an extra close eye on is the bottlenose dolphin “Skywalker”. Like his mother Chewbacca and sisters Leia, he is named after characters from “Star Wars”. Like his distant relative Hvaldimir, who recently passed away, Skywalker and his family have become local celebrities. MADS HERLEV But Skywalker is not known for fighting stormtroopers. Rather, he is notorious for maiming porpoises and wreaking havoc with jellyfish. – Hyperactive teenager Photographer Lars Mikkelsen, who is behind the Facebook group Dolphins in Denmark, has followed Skywalker since he first swam into Danish waters in 2021. Previously, the dolphin was with his family in Thyboron, before he had enough and went on alone. – Since January 2023 he has been in Hirtshals waiting for a female he could mate with, but in April this year his patience ran out, says Mikkelsen to news. The photographer says it is likely that Skywalker is responsible for the porpoise killings on Funen, as he is now around the Little Belt. – It could be frustration at meeting a porpoise instead of a female dolphin he can mate with, and it could be that he plays so hard with the porpoise that it dies. But that’s just the way nature is. Like his distant relative Hvaldimir, who recently passed away, Skywalker and his family have become local celebrities. Nature photographer Lars Mikkelsen warns against letting Skywalker get too used to people. – It could potentially lead to him wasting time instead of looking for food and a mate. He can also get tangled in ropes. Photo: Lars Mikkelsen But Mikkelsen warns people against getting too close to the dolphins. – Skywalker is cute to look at, but he’s a frustrated, hyperactive, testosterone-filled teenager right now. Last Friday, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency sent out a message that you do not need to be afraid of Skywalker, but that you travel around him at your own risk, writes DR. Not widespread in Norway The dolphins originally came swimming from Scotland. news has asked Tore Haug, marine researcher emeritus at the Institute of Marine Research, whether Norwegian porpoises should be on the lookout for unwanted visitors. The answer is both yes and no. Porpoises are relatively rare in Norwegian waters. – But we see a greater proportion of southern dolphin species now than 20 years ago. It has to do with the whole system, from water temperature to fish populations moving north. It is primarily whiting and whiting that are widespread in Norway, in addition to occasional visits by striped dolphins and spotted dolphins, says Haug. – Dolphins playing are one thing, but porpoises are usually killed and eaten by killer whales. Furthermore, they are to an even greater extent exposed to being by-caught in nets. – This is also a big problem in Denmark, where they catch both porpoises and dolphins in flounder nets. That is probably the biggest threat. Published 16.09.2024, at 20.43 Updated 16.09.2024, at 20.50
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“Killer dolphin” Skywalker (11) wreaks havoc in Denmark – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
