Dolphin pod near Réunion, overseas department of France, Indian Ocean
© Joost van Uffelen/Shutterstock
World Dolphin Day - Have a fin-tastic day
Grab your flippers—it's World Dolphin Day, a day to celebrate and promote the conservation of these aquatic mammals. Dolphins are highly intelligent and can be found all over the world in oceans, rivers, and estuaries. But they are threatened by human activities, such as hunting, pollution, and fishing. Hunting in particular led to the creation of World Dolphin Day in 2022 by Sea Shepherd Global, an international marine conservation group.
The pod of dolphins seen in today's image was photographed near Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Madagascar. Marine wildlife found year-round in Réunion's deeper waters include many types of sharks, orcas, humpback whales, sea turtles, and dolphins. The island's warm, tropical climate is ideal for these creatures, as well as spinner, bottlenose, and rough-toothed dolphins, which also swim in the island's crystal-clear waters.