Sex male Known for Long life | Years active 1983– | |
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Species Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Residence Dingle harbour and nearby waters Named after A local fisherman who was mocked for his attempt to grow a beard, who was nicknamed "Fungus" | ||
Fungie the wild bottlenose dolphin of dingle
Fungie /ˈfʊŋɡiː/, also known as the Dingle Dolphin, is a common bottlenose dolphin who is known to live in very close contact with humans in Dingle, Ireland. According to locals he was first seen in the harbour in 1983, and continues to seek out human contact over thirty years later. Dolphins have been known to live to 48 years of age. Fungie is a male fully grown bottlenose dolphin.
Fungie is known to interact playfully with swimmers, surfers, kayakers and divers in the water. There haven't been any recorded cases of Fungie being aggressive towards humans. Although it is normal for social animals like dolphins to live in close contact with each other, it is still a rare occurrence for them to seek out human contact, and Fungie is the first recorded occurrence of a dolphin interacting positively with humans in the wild in Ireland. Fungie also has an extremely unorthodox diet for a dolphin, consisting primarily of garfish, something not previously known to be eaten by dolphins.
