A man who was attacked by a “sexually frustrated” dolphin said he is lucky to be alive.
Takuma Goto was swimming with a friend near the central Japanese city of Tsuruga when they encountered a single dolphin, believed to be responsible for up to 15 attacks over the summer.
The pair had swam 20 meters out to sea from Crystal Beach when the mammal attacked them.
Dolphins are generally not believed to be a threat to humans, whom they generally do not view as prey.
But local authorities had posted signs warning swimmers of dolphin attacks, the Telegraph reported.
A man says he is lucky to be alive after being attacked by a bottlenose dolphin off the coast of Japan.
Takuma Goto was rescued by nearby surfers after encountering a lone dolphin while swimming off the coast of central Japan.
Swimmers were warned of possible dolphin attacks by signs posted by local authorities in Crystal Beach.
Goto, 23, said he realized the animal was not a shark, but a dolphin when he stuck his head out of the water.
He said: “He kept attacking me and I really thought I was going to die.” “What worried me most was that they would drag me underwater and out to sea.”
The dolphin continued to attack and bite the swimmer, leaving him with wounds on both arms, as well as a cut on his left index finger, which required five stitches.
Fortunately, a nearby surfer rescued him from the aggressive animal, which experts now believe to be a bottlenose dolphin.
But it’s possible that rather than trying to hurt Goto, the dolphin’s bites were an attempt at communication, and scientists suggest it may have been looking for “alternative company” after being kicked out of its own community.
«As in humans and other social animals, hormonal fluctuations, sexual frustration or the desire to dominate can lead the dolphin to hurt the people with whom it interacts. Because they are such powerful animals, this can cause serious injuries to humans,” said biologist Dr. Simon Allen.
Dolphins rarely attack humans, and experts believe the mammals’ bites were an attempt at communication (file photo)
Mari Kobayashi, head of the marine biology laboratory at the University of Agriculture in Tokyo, said the animal was believed to have committed several attacks over the summer.
He said the mammal could have been showing signs of loneliness, given that the species is usually found in groups.
For Goto, the terrifying experience has prevented him from returning to the water. He said: “Every time I look out to sea, I can’t help but think there might be a dolphin there.”
Medical teams from the Tsuruga Coast Guard office were repeatedly called upon to treat people attacked by dolphins.
He advised swimmers who see a dolphin to quickly get out of the water, keep their distance and not try to feed it.
