Davina the Dolphin facts for kids
Davina the Dolphin (who used to be called Dave the Dolphin) was a very friendly dolphin who lived by herself near the coast of Folkestone and Hythe in England. She stayed there for about a year and a half. This was quite unusual because dolphins usually live in groups called pods, not alone. People often saw her swimming in the English Channel.
Contents
Davina's Time in Folkestone and Hythe
Injuries and Help for Davina
While Davina was in the area, she got hurt several times. These injuries happened because people went out to see her in boats, and she was hit by boat propellers. In August 2007, she hurt her dorsal fin (the fin on her back). It took many months for this injury to get better.
Then, in October 2007, she lost a third of her tail. This was a very serious injury that could have been deadly. Luckily, a vet working with a group called British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) gave her medicine to help her heal.
Davina's Disappearance
After her tail injury, Davina was seen in the area, and she seemed to be getting better. However, she suddenly disappeared shortly after. The last time anyone reported seeing her was in early November 2007. Even though BDMLR volunteers still visit the area often, Davina has not been seen since.
People worried that she might have died from an infection in her tail wound or gotten caught in fishing nets. But there is no clear answer about what happened to her. Many people still hope she is alive and has simply left the area, perhaps to join another group of dolphins.
Protecting Davina
British Divers Marine Life Rescue had volunteers watching out for Davina's safety. They kept an eye on her and how people acted around her from the moment she arrived. They also gave out information leaflets and answered questions to help people understand how to behave around dolphins.
BDMLR and other groups in the Marine Animal Rescue Coalition were concerned about solitary dolphins like Davina. These animals can often get hurt when they interact with humans. Davina is a female bottlenose dolphin, and experts believe she was about 6 years old.
Rules for Protecting Dolphins
On June 9, 2007, two men were stopped for swimming too close to Davina. They were accused of disturbing a dolphin. On April 17, 2008, Michael Jukes and Daniel Buck were ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work. This was because they were found to have disturbed a wild animal, which goes against the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.
See also
- List of individual cetaceans
External links — Davina in the news
Davina the dolphin was often featured on the Kent Online and BBC News websites:
- Kent Online
- How dolphin begged swimmers to leave her alone
- Still no sign of missing Dave the dolphin
- Fears for safety of 'missing' Dave the dolphin
- Dave the dolphin responding well after serious injury
- Battle is on to save Dave's life
- Dave tail injury 'could be fatal'
- Bid to save Dave the Dolphin's life
- Warning after jet skiers harass 'celebrity' dolphin
- Sign up and help save Dave the dolphin
- Save Dave the dolphin stay away from him
- Cinderella stars 'dolphin Dave'
- Dolphin Dave 'becoming a danger'
- Dave the dolphin film criticised
- Dolphin fans 'urged to keep away'
- Dolphin Dave honoured with award
- Dolphin Dave boosts town's trade
- Kayakers harassing 'dolphin Dave'
- Dolphin 'at risk from being tame'
- Search on the BBC Website
- Other media
- Davina, the friendly dolphin with half a tail
- The Telegraph: Tougher laws needed to protect friendly dolphins
Other links
- British Divers Marine Life Rescue
- Dave the Dolphin
