Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - A Day with Uncle Larry
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - A Day with Uncle Larry
When I first started photographing the dolphins, three stood out with numbers on their dorsal fins: 918, 910, and 968. I had never seen this before, so I called a friend in the dolphin world who connected with the original researcher.
It turns out, these dolphins were part of a health assessment back in 2004. The numbers on their dorsal fins are like a bird’s band on its foot — a way for scientists to track and study them. At that time, all three were healthy males.
One of them, 968, is the dolphin many of you now know as Uncle Larry. In 2004, he was estimated to be around 25 years old, which makes him about 46 years old today!
I first met Uncle Larry in 2018 when he swam into the lagoon with a mom and her calf. Since then, he has come and gone, always willing to pose for plenty of photos.
He and jagger along with a solo mom and calf have been in the lagoon 2 days this week. This video highlights his incredible athleticism and spirit, even at his mature age. And at the end, you’ll spot his best friend, Jagger, right alongside him.
Stay tuned for more tales!