SEOUL: Two Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were seen carrying dead calves off Jeju Island this week, a rare sighting that has raised concern among environmental activists over the survival of young dolphins in the area.
According to Oh Seung-mok, director of Docu Jeju, the dolphins were spotted off the northeastern coast of Jeju at around 3pm Wednesday (July 8), with several other dolphins swimming nearby.
The dead calves, carried on the snouts of what appeared to be their parents, showed different levels of decay, suggesting that they may have died three to four days apart, Oh said. He estimated that both calves were less than a year old.
“Carrying a decomposing calf can be compared to a human funeral rather than simply transporting a body,” Oh told local media. “Recent observations show that dolphins believed to belong to the same group have been moving more slowly than usual in nearby waters.”
No fishing lines, marine debris or other visible hazards were found around the dolphins, leaving the cause of death unknown, he added.
About 120 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are estimated to live in waters off Jeju. Including the latest case, four dolphin calves have been found dead around the island this year, with the other deaths recorded along the southern and western coasts.
The figure has drawn concern because five calf deaths were recorded for all of 2025.
Oh and environmental activists said the continued deaths of young dolphins should be closely monitored, while warning that changes in human activity and marine conditions around Jeju could be affecting the dolphins’ habitat. - The Korea Herald/ANN
