Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Photo: Lama El Samad · © all rights reserved

Pods of 10 to 30 individuals frequent the offshore waters around Zirku from November through April, often bow-riding dive boats and occasionally descending to investigate divers on the reef. The Gulf population is an important regional community that feeds on the same reef fish schools that attract sharks and trevally to the site. Encounters can last 20 minutes or more when the animals are in an exploratory mood, making Zirku one of the most reliable spots for in-water dolphin interaction in Abu Dhabi.