====== Wild Life ======

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[[https://surfski.wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=wildlife:pacific_white-sided_dolphin.jpg|{{:wildlife:pacific_white-sided_dolphin.jpg?direct&600x257|pacific_white-sided_dolphin.jpg}}]]

<font 11px/inherit;;inherit;;inherit>Pacific White-Sided Dolphin photo: Whaletrails.org - Click to enlarge</font>

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**Mike Nelson in //[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Hunt|Sea Hunt]]://  “I was right. We weren't the only form of life in that pool”**

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Please familiarize yourself with all potential ways for **avoiding negative impact **with and from local wildlife (animal or plants) where you plan to paddle. **Invasive species** continue to be an increasingly expensive and destructive issue on inland waterways. Some fish and aquatic mammals may need a **buffer distance from humans** particularly **during their mating or birthing seasons**. And be aware that **close proximity with some critters can be risky for you**. Boats destroyed and nearly destroyed by **breaching whales** happens. And you may not want to do your remount practice close to seal island where your **local men in gray suits** like to dine.

The rest of this page is just a sampler of photos of the marvelous variety of wildlife encountered and captured on camera during paddle outings.

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===== Australia =====

  * [[https://youtu.be/QwB12pK4SyM|Beecroft Peninsula Seals]]
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fauhs-CGp9o|Spectacle Island Seals]] (Tasmania)
  * See also [[:wild_life#sharks|Sharks]]
  * …

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**Mutton Birds**  photo from [[http://youtu.be/TQ_a7guruHA|video]]

[[https://surfski.wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=critters:muttonbirds.jpg|{{:critters:muttonbirds.jpg?direct&600x271|muttonbirds.jpg}}]]

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{{youtube>4v93n9yWKXs?large}}

**Blue Bottle Tentacle Sting, Sydney**

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 {{youtube>-_2Bo6LBclA?large}}

**Sydney's Humback Highway**</WRAP>

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===== France =====

  * [[https://youtu.be/OSn4pmblBB0|Dolphins]]
  * …

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===== Hawaiian Islands =====

  * [[:manta_rays_boat_ids|Manta Rays and Boat IDs]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/zOP3W3h38oA|Maliko Run (Maui) Whale]]
  * See also [[:wild_life#sharks|Sharks]]
  * …

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**Maui Fish Encounter**

{{youtube>HGkVI5jvfqw?large&start=1}}

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===== Italy =====

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**Talamone Fish, Tuscany**: photo from [[https://youtu.be/p4SGnV_zURg|video]]

[[https://surfski.wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?tok=baf0ea&media=https://surfski.wiki//lib/plugins/ckgedit/fckeditor/userfiles/image/wildlife/talamone_fish.jpg|{{https://surfski.wiki//lib/plugins/ckgedit/fckeditor/userfiles/image/wildlife/talamone_fish.jpg?direct&600x379|talamone_fish.jpg}}]]

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===== Norway =====

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{{youtube>tAa9TtV-HVo?large}}

**Curious Orca**</WRAP>

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===== Puget Sound =====

  * [[:bham_puget_sound_critters|Bellingham and Nearby]]
  * [[:orca_joyride|Orca Joyride Comox, BC 7/31/2018]]
  * [[https://explore.org/livecams/orcas/orcalab-base|Orcas Off Northeast Coast Vancouver Island]]
  * …

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===== Sharks =====

  * [[:sharks|Shark encounters]]

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===== South Africa =====

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**Manta Ray Near Durban**

{{youtube>Rz8qvhplcM0}}

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**Dolphin Videos**
  * [[https://youtu.be/Y8ta3E6-fVY?t=65|Paddling and Swimming with Durban Dophins]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/IQ8cMdDO2I8?t=61|Durban Dolphins 12/29/2021]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/vou-0IpHzAk|Durban Dolphins 2022]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/5SxMQMN2I54?t=215|More Durban Dolphins 2022]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/pkFpVMP2pG8?t=36|Miller's Run Dolphins 2023]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/OzfpiKKfd00|Capetown Dusky Dolphins 2024]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/mfl9EuhphEg|Amazing Dolphin Numbers 2024 Salt Rock North of Durban]]

[[:wild_life#sharks|Sharks]]

**Whales**
  * [[https://youtu.be/BhrYSwHqCGE?t=60|Miller's Run Whale]]
  * [[https://www.facebook.com/millersruntaxi/posts/3027531964236109|Humpback Lands on Surfski ]]…

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===== Sweden =====

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Sälarna, Sweden: photo from [[https://youtu.be/JsamvBfAWGA?t=20|video]]

[[https://surfski.wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?tok=f50fc6&media=https://surfski.wiki//lib/plugins/ckgedit/fckeditor/userfiles/image/wildlife/salarna.jpg|{{https://surfski.wiki//lib/plugins/ckgedit/fckeditor/userfiles/image/wildlife/salarna.jpg?direct&600x347|salarna.jpg}}]]

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===== United Kingdom =====

  * [[https://youtu.be/Oy7Uk8QfaV0?t=637|Giant Bluefin Tuna]] (Devon) "Giant" = 150 kg or more, swim speed up to 75 kph
  * [[https://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2025/08/19/beachgoers-warned-of-poisonous-fish-in-east-lothian-waters/|Weever Fish]]
  * …

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