We were immediately greeted by a school of lovely Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus). We were able to do some dolphin watching. - stock photo

Notojima, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan - May 5, 2017. Notojima Island (37°07' N, 136°59' E), located at the tip of Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Hokuriku District, is known as the northernmost inhabited area of Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) on earth. They first appeared in 2001. It is said to have begun with a couple of dolphins that migrated northward from Nagasaki Prefecture in the Kyushu region further south. The water temperature in Nanao Bay, where Notojima is located, drops in winter, and it has been thought that the bay is not suitable for dolphins to inhabit. However, it is said that the dolphins have settled there because the bay is calm all year round, the water quality is maintained, fish and squid as food are extremely abundant, and there are no large sharks or other foreign enemies. In the 2010s, the dolphin population exceeded 10 dolphins, and boat dolphin watching and dolphin swimming were conducted. As of 2024, the number of dolphins is around 20. , Settlements of the northern limit of the Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin, ,, Dolphin Swim, , Dophin Smile, , NOTOJIMA Island, #NOTOJIMA #dolphin #Snorkeling NIKON D700 with TAMRON AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD