Dangerous dolphin attacks in Japan spark panic among residents

Shocking news reaches us from the Japanese city of Mihama. Panic among the residents is being spread by a single dolphin that attacks people. Scientists suspect it may be searching for a mate and feeling lonely.

Dolphins are known to be sexually active, not just during the mating season. These mammals find partners not only to procreate but also for pleasure. They seek partners year-round, and when they fail, they experience frustration, agitation, and loneliness, often without understanding these feelings. This may explain why they sometimes attack people.

This seems to be the situation with the sexually frustrated dolphin in Japan. Unexpected news is coming from the vicinity of Mihama city, where a very lonely bottlenose dolphin is desperate to find a mate. Because it has not yet succeeded, it has begun attacking innocent people relaxing by the water. The youngest victim is an elementary school student who needed stitches in his finger after an encounter with the animal.

According to the Kyodo agency, citing the coast guard, as many as 18 dolphin attacks were recorded in Mihama, Japan, in the summer of 2024. They also noted the increasing number of dangerous encounters between these mammals and people. 2022 there was one recorded dolphin attack, and in 2023, there were five. Moreover, it may be shocking to know that all the attacks in 2024 were most likely carried out by one individual, according to scientists.

Local authorities are urging people to be careful. They emphasize that dolphins may appear to be gentle animals but can be dangerous. An encounter with these mammals can result in bites from very sharp teeth, causing bleeding. Additionally, dolphins can pull a person into the sea, making escape difficult.

"Just as in humans and other social animals, hormonal fluctuations, sexual frustration or the desire to dominate might drive the dolphin to injuring the people it interacts with. Since they are such powerful animals, this can lead to serious injury in humans," said biologist Simon Allen from the Australian Shark Bay Dolphin Research project during an interview with the media.

In this way, he explained the dangerous dolphin's behaviour. He also suggests that it may have bad memories associated with people, contributing to its nervous reactions.