Summit meeting of the four oldest dolphins - off the coast of Bat Yam

An exciting encounter with the oldest dolphins in Israel

The Delphis Association team did not expect to see all four mothers - the oldest dolphins observed as part of the long-term study by Delphis and the University of Haifa - yesterday off the coast of Bat Yam. Dr. Aviad Sheinin: "Ziggy, Sookie and Twiggy are females that we first met at the beginning of our study - more than 20 years ago! Seeing them again, and all of them together, and in the company of one of their offspring - is a rare and particularly moving moment."

The dolphin Ayala demonstrates an impressive jump after Shlomi joined the group. Photo: Dr. Aviad Sheinin

A rare encounter at sea

The paths of the four oldest dolphins documented as part of the dolphin research in Israel crossed paths in an especially rare and exciting summit meeting. The four, veteran females of the common bottlenose dolphin species (Tursiops truncatus) - Suki, Ayala, Ziggy and Twiggy - are well known to researchers. "Ziggy, Suki and Twiggy are females that we first met at the beginning of our research - more than 20 years ago! Seeing them again, and all of them together, and in the company of one of their offspring - is an especially rare and exciting moment," said Dr. Aviad Sheinin, director of the Dolphin and Sea Center of the Delphis Association and head of the super-predators department at the Maurice Kahn Marine Research Station at the University of Haifa.

During the Delphis survey, which was conducted as part of a long-term study by Delphis and Haifa University researchers on dolphin populations in Israel, all four dolphins were observed together, about ten kilometers west of the coast of Bat Yam. It was one of the most phenomenal sightings in the history of research in the country. Shortly after the exciting encounter, they were joined by a young dolphin, who was later identified as none other than Shlomi, the fifth calf of the female dolphin Suki.

תצפית נדירה ומרגשת במיוחד, של כל ארבע הדולפינות, יחד עם שלומי. עריכה: מירית פרידמן, דלפיס

Life expectancy of dolphins

Dr. Aviad Sheinin said that "the life expectancy of dolphins of this species may reach 50 years or even more." According to him, the dolphins are identified based on comparative research that examines photographs of the dorsal fin - which is unique to each dolphin, just like a human fingerprint. "The veteran dolphins have been observed frequently in the area over the many years of research, and have often been seen in the company of pups," he said, adding that "the dolphin Suki has long been crowned by Delphis as the record holder for calvings, after being observed in the company of no less than seven different pups over the years." Regarding the dolphin Shlomi, who was observed yesterday with his mother and her friends, he noted that it was clear that Shlomi, as befits a teenager, added a lot of energy to the group, and displayed playful behavior during the observation.

Researcher Kim Cobo, from the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, says that the dolphin has been documented since 2010, and to date has been observed with five different pups. She says that Shlomi, Suki's pup, was first documented in 2017 and is estimated to be eight years old.

Dr. Aviad Sheinin: The life expectancy of common dolphins may reach 50 years or even more.

Best friends

Several members of the pod, which was spotted yesterday during a cruise on the Adve Club's yacht in Ashdod, were recently seen in additional sightings. In another marine survey that the Delfis Association conducted on October 12, in collaboration with specially trained volunteers, the dolphins Ayala and Suki were spotted together off the coast of Ashdod.

The rib marks seen in Twiggy and Ziggy do not indicate any problem. During the summer, the dolphins' fat layer is relatively thin (due to the water temperature), while in the winter it thickens, to help the dolphin maintain its body heat. Photo: Dr. Aviad Sheinin, Delphis

The importance of protecting the marine environment

The common dolphin is the more common and well-known of the two dolphin species that live along the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Its population numbers approximately 360 individuals, which have been documented and studied in fieldwork for about 20 years by researchers from Delphis and the University of Haifa. Although it is not considered endangered in the Mediterranean, preserving the marine environment is essential for its continued prosperity.

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