DOLPHIN BRINGS GIFTS FROM SEA TO HUMANS AT SHORE
One of the hardest parts of the early pandemic is lockdown and not being able to see loved ones for months. But people weren't the only ones missing the day when we could spend time together again. Over the years, dolphin groups in Queensland, Australia have become accustomed to the attention and hospitality they receive from the patrons of Barnacles Cafe & Dolphin Feeding.
When things came to a sudden halt in the spring of 2020, the animals started to wonder where their fans had all gone. To encourage their human friends to visit again, dolphins have started showing up at the café with gifts such as corals, trees, shells and even starfish.
The Barnacles Cafe team also shared many gifts from the sea, saying in a Facebook post, "The piggy bank regularly brings us gifts and shows how lacking in social interaction and attention we are." Biology. Most of the gifts seem to come from a 29-year-old alpha male dolphin named Mystique. Australian publication ABC reports that while dolphins have previously shown signs of appreciation for feeders and visitors, these behaviours have intensified during epidemics.
Volunteer Lyn McPherson said in an interview, “One of the male dolphins brings something to the rostrum or beak and carefully gives it to us.” “All we have to do is give him the fish back,” she says. We didn't teach him, but he taught us." Café workers said the dolphin brought up to 21 items at a time and lined up in hopes of getting the fish. "If he dropped [the gift] too far or If we say, 'Hey, that's not enough', he'll bring the gift to us."
When restrictions were lifted in the summer, visitors were invited back to get up close and personal with a pod of dolphins. But not only did they continue to wow visitors with gifts like sea sponges and rocks weighing nearly eight pounds, but the pack grew as more calves were born. The video shows a baby dolphin swimming with her mother toward shore. Only time will tell if they like gift-giving or not.