Bottlenose Dolphin

Photo: Frank Krasovec · CC BY-NC

A resident population of bottlenose dolphins uses the waters around Saint Helena's eastern cliffs as a foraging and social zone, frequently interacting with divers at The Cathedral site — swimming tight circles around divers, bow-riding on exhaled bubble streams, and approaching well within arm's reach. The island's resident pod is estimated at 60 to 80 individuals that have never been significantly disturbed by boat or dive traffic, making these among the most interactive wild dolphin encounters on the planet. Their foraging behaviour around the arch site suggests they use the topography to corner fish against the cliff face.