Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin

Photo: Rafi Amar · CC BY-NC

A resident pod of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins uses Wasini Channel as a regular foraging corridor, often riding the tidal current and bow-waking dhow boats. They are one of only two dolphin species known to use marine sponges as foraging tools, carrying sponges on their rostrums to probe the seafloor without injury. Interaction in the channel is entirely on the dolphins' terms — the pod regularly investigates divers hovering mid-water before resuming their transit.