Stinky, Cayman Islands’ seemingly sexually frustrated male dolphin, is to be given specialist treatment with the arrival of two marine mammal experts from the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this week. Travelling with them will be a specialist vet from Seaworld, one of the United States largest chain of marine mammal parks.

It was announced nearly two weeks ago the Department of Environment (DoE) had contacted NOAA for guidance after the dolphin recently pinned a local diver to the seabed

As a result of the visit, Janice Blumenthal, a research officer with DoE has asked everyone in Cayman to call in any sightings over the next few days. She has also asked for any pictures or video footage people have taken of Stinky to be sent to the DoE.

M/s Blumenthal said she wasn’t asking people to go out and film the dolphin but if they had any old footage or photographs they would be very useful to the US visitors. Even older footage would be welcome, she added. The DoE has not been able to confirm if Stinky was the same lone dolphin that has been reported for several years off and on in the North Sound. Stinky was first seen here in June.

DoE Director, Gina Ebanks-Petrie, said on Friday (28) at a meeting to announce the visit of the experts that the DoE have been taking the right approach by asking people to stay away from the dolphin. “Get out of the water if you are approached by him,” she said.

Earlier she had said reports to the DoE had suggested the dolphin was becoming increasingly persistent in seeking out interaction with swimmers and divers. “Continued human interaction, especially feeding, will worsen this problem and discourage the dolphin from reintegrating with the wild dolphins that occasionally pass through our waters,” she added.

With a possible tragedy looming and a real risk to the island’s tourism reputation if a visitor is attacked, the DoE is urging people to stay away from Stinky.

This was further emphasised by Blumenthal who said, “Observing a wild dolphin is a rare privilege in the Cayman Islands, but lone wild dolphins can be unpredictable and dangerous. People who have approached the dolphin have reported ‘jaw-clapping’, which is the dolphin rapidly snapping its mouth open and shut. Dolphins use behaviours such as jaw-clapping to communicate dominance among members of the pod. In interactions with swimmers, this can convey agitation and aggression and is a clear warning sign.”

The experts’ goal is to make sure Stinky isn’t suffering from any health problems and to check if his behaviour is in line with other lone young dolphin males. They want to observe his interaction with people.

The DoE said they have been discussing our problem dolphin with other marine biology specialists and they want to discuss and assess the findings of the three expert visitors with them.

“We are seeking a long term solution but we need to know more about the dolphin in the first instance,” Ebanks-Petrie said. She admitted the DoE were not expecting a “quick fix”.

The three experts are coming here free with only their flights paid for by DoE. Their rooms have been kindly donated by the Grand Caymanian Hotel.

The experts are only here for a short stay and they have a lot of work to do. Anyone who has video and pictures of dolphins in local waters should email them to [email protected] and any sightings of the dolphin can be called in on 949-8469