Rare Common Dolphins Sighted Off Ashkelon Coast Spark Researcher Hopes
A rare sighting of two common dolphins off Ashkelon by the Delphis Association has led researchers to dub the duo Tony and Pepper, offering new hope for tracking the endangered Mediterranean population.
A rare and surprising sighting of two common dolphins unfolded off the coast of Ashkelon during a marine survey conducted by the Delphis Association. Led by Dr. Aviad Scheinin, a founder of the organization and head of the apex predators department at the Dr. Morris Kahn Marine Research Station of the University of Haifa, the survey involved volunteers Dana Reininger and Shlomi Marco in cooperation with the Sail La Vie sailing club.
At the start of the voyage, researchers encountered a pod of three adult bottlenose dolphins bearing numerous scars, followed by another group comprising mothers and calves, including females Ayala and Suki. Yet, while monitoring the mother pod, the team suddenly spotted two common dolphins known from previous observations, which appeared briefly before vanishing.
The common dolphin is considered relatively rare off the Israeli coast, and its Mediterranean population is classified as endangered. Research tracking relies on a photo-identification database collected since 2000, allowing experts to recognize individuals by unique markings on their dorsal fins. One of the dolphins spotted is Tony, first documented in 2020 and later found with deep cuts in 2021 that healed into prominent scars. Researchers Yali Mavorch and Kim Kubo adopted a Facebook suggestion to name him Tony after the Iron Man character Tony Stark. The team has now named the second dolphin, first recorded in early 2025, Pepper, thus forming the duo Tony and Pepper.
Researchers hope Pepper will turn out to be a female so the pair might establish a bond and raise calves off the Israeli coast. Nevertheless, Delphis emphasizes that Pepper's sex remains unknown, as distinguishing between male and female dolphins is challenging, and there is currently no evidence they are mates. The association notes that continued monitoring of the duo could yield vital data on common dolphin presence in local waters, reminding the public to keep a safe distance from marine mammals and report any encounters to Delphis or the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
