Fungie

Fungie (/ˈfʊŋɡi/), also known as the Dingle Dolphin,[2] is a male common bottlenose dolphin who is known to live in very close contact with humans in Dingle, Ireland.[3][4]

This article is about an individual dolphin known for sightings in Ireland. For eukaryotic organisms, see Fungi.
Fungie
SpeciesCommon bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Sexmale
Bornbefore 1983
Years active1983–
Known forInteraction with humans, long life
ResidenceDingle harbour and nearby waters
Appearancetriangular-shaped nick on dorsal fin
Named afterA local fisherman who was mocked for his attempt to grow a beard, who was nicknamed "Fungus"[1]
Statue of Fungie the Dolphin located outside of the Tourist and Information Office in Dingle Town.

Wild bottlenose dolphins are estimated to have a median lifespan between 8.3 and 17.4 years, while one bottlenose dolphin has been observed to live for at least 67 years.[5] According to locals, Fungie was first seen in Dingle harbour in 1983, and continues to seek out human contact over thirty years later. Thus, Fungie is fully grown, and likely already in his middle or even old age.[6]

Fungie is known to interact playfully with swimmers, surfers, kayakers and divers in the water. There haven't been any recorded cases of Fungie being aggressive towards humans. Although it is normal for social animals like dolphins to live in close contact with each other, it is still a rare occurrence for them to seek out human contact, and Fungie is the first recorded occurrence of a dolphin interacting positively with humans in the wild in Ireland. Fungie has been observed eating garfish, something not previously known to be eaten by dolphins.

References
  1. "FUNGIE FAQ - IrishDolphins.com". www.irishdolphins.com.
  2. Cutie little dolphin "Dingle Dolphin Tours - Boat Trips to see Fungie the Dingle Dolphin in Dingle Harbour County Kerry Ireland". Dingle Dolphin Tours. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  3. "Fungie, the Dingle Dolphin". Dingle Peninsula. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  4. "Dingle's dolphin – meet Fungie". Ireland.com. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  5. "All About Bottlenose Dolphins - Longevity & Causes of Death | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment". seaworld.org.
  6. "Dingle and the Dolphin Fungie - What You Need to Know". TripSavvy.
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