Spinner Dolphin

Photo: HUANG QIN · © all rights reserved

Spinner dolphins regularly visit the shallow waters around Sawa-i-Lau and adjacent Yasawa islands, resting in the sheltered bays during the day before heading offshore to feed at night on vertically migrating prey. Their acrobatic spinning leaps — which can reach 3 metres above the surface — are thought to serve social communication and ectoparasite removal functions, with the number of spins varying between individuals. Pods encountered in the Yasawas often number 20-100 individuals and are generally comfortable around snorkellers who enter the water calmly and without pursuit.