Rare dolphins spotted in waters near Shenzhen

Three rare Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins were spotted by a marine surveillance patrol in waters west of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province on December 22, 2017, reports sznews.com.

Photo shows an Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin in waters west of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province on December 22, 2017. [Photo: sznews.com]

The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is distinguishable from other marine species by its unique white skin, said Mr. Qin, a member of the patrol team. The dolphin’s distinctive appearance enabled the team to quickly identify the rare species. According to Mr. Qin, the area where the dolphins were spotted is a dolphin reserve.

Mr. Qin said the three dolphins appeared for more than 10 minutes, which gave him the opportunity to film them at a distance of about 100 meters. The three dolphins appear to be in good health.

The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, nicknamed "Mermaids" and “Pandas of the sea", are protected under national law in China.

This year, the dolphins were spotted several times in seas around Shenzhen, which is reportedly due to an improvement in the local marine environment. The customs administration has been strictly enforcing special local laws established this year to help clean garbage from marine areas and protect local fisheries. The result has been an improvement in the environment for local marine species.