Gwadar dolphins: pod of more than 500 bottlenose dolphins filmed off the Balochistan coast

A pod of more than 500 dolphins has been seen off Gwadar, on Balochistan's Makran coast, Dawn reported on Wednesday. Experts identified them as Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), a coastal species found in warm, shallow waters from the Red Sea to Australia.

Who saw them

The dolphins were spotted leaping and playing near the fishing boat of captain Amir Dad Khan, according to experts linked to WWF-Pakistan, and video of the pod swimming in Balochistan's waters has been widely shared. Dawn did not give the exact date of the sighting.

Why experts call it good news

Muhammad Moazzam Khan, WWF-Pakistan's technical adviser, told Dawn that such a large pod playing in shallow water is a good sign for the coastal ecosystem: it points to plenty of fish for the dolphins to feed on and a healthy food chain in both coastal and offshore waters. Marine experts quoted in the report described it as an indicator of abundant marine life.

Conservationists used the sighting to urge the authorities and fishing communities to do more to protect dolphins, whales, sea turtles and other marine species.

Pakistan's marine mammals

Pakistan's coastal waters, especially along Balochistan, have about 26 recorded species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), according to the report. Gwadar's bays, with their warm, sheltered and fish-rich water, are among the better places on the coast to see them.

If you are visiting Gwadar

Boat trips from Gwadar's fishing harbour are the usual way to reach the open water where pods are seen. Keep a distance from the animals, do not chase or feed them, and never touch a stranded dolphin without help from wildlife officials. Planning a trip south? Check the day's conditions on our Gwadar weather page.