'Sexually frustrated' dolphin puts the moves on scuba diver

Most people who have been around dogs have witnessed or experienced those embarrassing moments when the animal becomes overly excited about the presence of a human leg. It turns out that dolphins also can become sexually aroused in the presence of humans and, yes, the accompanying video contains footage which is somewhat graphic and might be offensive to some.

 

It involves a solitary Cayman Islands dolphin known as "Stinky." The footage was uploaded recently by Michael Maes, who jokingly states that Stinky "was expelled from his pod, maybe because of bad behavior."

But Stinky's behavior is not a laughing matter. The lonely cetacean, described by Maes as "a sexually frustrated young male dolphin," has become increasingly notorious for making advances toward divers. While this is rare behavior among marine mammals, it's not unheard of, and it can be dangerous because dolphins are powerful.

Maes, a videographer and veteran Cayman Islands diver, said his harrowing situation--which also briefly involved his dive partner--could have been worse had he been in deeper water when the dolphin pushed him downward.

He cautions divers to be aware of their surroundings and to exit the water as swiftly and carefully as possible if a large marine mammal starts to get overly frisky.

"So if you encounter a lonely Dolphin like "Stinky", do not get into the water," Maes states. "If you are in the water, leave as soon and safe as possible. If the dolphin prevents you from getting out of the water (or ascending as a diver) and you are with a group: stay close together, that will leave the dolphin less options."

Thankfully, this type of behavior has not caught on among any of the region's sharks.