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

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{{: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]]

{{: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/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/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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