A dolphin in Japan accused of attacking swimmers could be lonely and sexually frustrated, researchers say.
The bottlenose dolphin is believed to be behind 18 attacks this year near the town of Mihama, leaving one child needing stitches, according to the BBC.
One swimmer even suffered broken ribs in an attack last year.
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Now experts have revealed the sad reason that could be the cause.
Tadamichi Morisaka, a cetology professor at Japan’s Mie University, identified the dolphin as being the same one seen alone in another area.
“It is rare for dolphins, which normally move in groups, to be alone for such a long time,” Professor Morisaka told NHK, the BBC reported.
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Male bottlenose dolphins communicate by “play-biting”, he said, and were not trying to hurt humans.
Meanwhile, Dr Simon Allen, a biologist and principal investigator with the Shark Bay Dolphin Research project, said the dolphin might have been “ostracised from its own community and seeking alternative companionship”.
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“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.”
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