A pod of dolphins was spotted off Israel’s western coast of Ashkelon over the weekend, according to marine inspectors from Israel's Nature and Parks Authority.
Inspectors, who were on a fishery inspection during the breeding period, saw approximately 20 common Bottlenose dolphins frolicking off the shore of Nitzanim.
Marine Unit Inspector Guy Levian said that the dolphins were part of “a familiar group that is watched often. The common Bottlenose dolphin is an endangered species,” as cited by The Jewish Press.
“The Israeli coastline has been defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vital to the survival of the common Bottlenose dolphin. The dolphin is endangered in the Mediterranean, so it is a thrill to watch.”
According to Levian, "the local population in our region contains about 30-40 dolphins that are often seen between the coasts of Ashdod and Ashkelon."
There have also been reports over the last 24 hours or so, of a sighting of a whale shark - the world's largest fish - off the coast of Eilat in Israel's far south. At the end of February, there were reported sightings of a killer whale close to the coastal city of Acre.
First published: 17:50, 05.04.20