Japan In Focus

Ehime: Pod of 30 dolphins spotted in Seto Inland Sea

Courtesy of Matsuyama Coast Guard Office
A pod of dolphins swims off Mitsukue, Ehime Prefecture.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:24 JST, November 12, 2022

MATSUYAMA — A pod of about 30 dolphins was spotted by the crew of a Japan Coast Guard boat during a patrol in the waters off Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, reminiscent of a group of about 50 dolphins that had been seen swimming in the same area in May last year.

According to the Matsuyama Coast Guard Office, the Okinami patrol boat came across the dolphins at about 10 a.m. on Oct. 27, about 2 kilometers north of the Mitsukue district in Ikata. When the boat passed nearby, the dolphins repeatedly breached the surface while swimming parallel to the vessel.

The crew took photos of the scene from the deck.

“It’s rare to find such a large pod of dolphins in the Seto Inland Sea,” a member of the Matsuyama Coast Guard Office said.