Lynda MacDonald, 50, was left stunned when the bottlenose dolphin joined her family for a 6am swim in Lyme Bay, Dorset. But now marine experts have shared their fears
A dolphin that went viral after swimming playfully with a family in Dorset has been injured by a high-speed boat propeller.
Lynda MacDonald, 50, was stunned when the bottlenose dolphin joined her family for a 6am swim in Lyme Bay, Dorset, on August 3. A viral video showed the playful dolphin asking for belly rubs and gliding across the water with Lynda, her partner, son, and his girlfriend.
However, the dolphin has since been injured by a boat’s propeller in the Lyme Bay area. A vet examined the sea creature and determined that a high-speed watercraft or propellers had wounded it. It comes as a teenager was killed by “an out of control” jet ski crash on a celebratory family holiday.
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A spokesperson for the Marine Management Organisation said: “We’re increasingly concerned about a lone dolphin spotted in Lyme Bay, Dorset, following multiple potential marine wildlife disturbance offences observed online and shared on social media.
“Dolphins may seem friendly, but they are wild animals. The dolphin in Lyme Bay has already been injured by a suspected boat propeller.
“Please remember: Never swim with, touch, feed, or approach dolphins. If a dolphin approaches you, calmly leave the area.
“Human interaction can cause dolphins to lose their natural wariness, leading to injury or even death. Disturbed dolphins are also known to become aggressive toward people. Let’s protect them by keeping our distance and please share this message to respect their space.”
It comes as marine experts plead for tourists to stay away from playful dolphins, and swimmers are warned against feeding dolphins any food that may harm them.
Worringly, humans touching the dolphins could also make them more vulnerable to predators.
Lynda, who operates in marketing and divides her time between West London and Dorset, previously admitted the dolphin swimming with their family was a “magical moment.”
She said: “It was a magical moment, I’m so glad I caught it on camera.
“Out of nowhere, the dolphin immediately approached us and wanted to join in on the action. It was friendly and playful. It even started guiding members of our group along the water with its beak.
“It was not distressed by our presence and was very confident around us. I’ve seen a dolphin before, but this is something I’ll remember forever.”
She was keen to stress that the family played with the dolphin for five minutes and then let it go on its way.
“The sea belongs to dolphins – we were lucky to spend a moment with it,” Lynda said. “You can hear the footage audio that the dolphin was happy to interact with us. But we were mindful; we played for five minutes and then let it go on its way.”