Poor weather off the Kerry coast has put on hold the search for Fungie the dolphin who has been missing from his Dingle home for almost a week, according to the Guardian.
Yesterday, Sunday 18 October, RTÉ News reported that divers from Mallow Search and Rescue has joined the search to explore coves around Dingle Harbour amid growing concern for Fungie’s wellbeing.
The bottlenose dolphin has been resident in the village harbour since 1983, rarely straying far from its environs — and never for this length of time.
There was an unconfirmed report of a sighting last Thursday, as local fisherman Gary Hand suggested the marine wildlife favourite was feeding with other dolphins further out in Dingle Bay.
That’s one of the theories being shared by local boatmen — some of whom also suggest that the solitary Fungie may be in hiding from dolphin pods and whales encroaching on his usual inshore waters.
“There’s still hope,” said boatman Gary Brosnan. “If Fungie has died there’s a good chance we’d have found him in one of the inlets or caves. No news is good news.”
Dingle boatmen have a number of theories re Fungie’s disappearance:
— Seán Mac an tSíthigh (@Buailtin) October 19, 2020
Theory 1: Fungie has gone out to sea following feed. An easterly wind off the land tends to drive sprat and other feed away from the coast. Possible, but Fungie has never been missing this long. 1/4... pic.twitter.com/gPyhH3KehC
