Scuba divers on a recent trip to Mexico’s Socorro Island encountered a dolphin that appeared to roll over and play dead briefly before swimming away.
The accompanying footage, captured by Mauricio Hoyos Padilla, shows the dolphin rest on the sea floor and roll onto its side as the divers approached. Hoyos’ Instagram description reads: “Dolphin playing ‘Who is a good dog!’ ”
One the divers caresses the dolphin’s chin before the mammal turns upright and continues its journey.
Socorro Island, the largest of the Revillagigedo Islands, is popular among scuba divers because of its abundance of large marine creatures.
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Divers can encounter giant manta rays, several shark species, and humpback whales. Socorro also is famous for dolphin encounters such as that enjoyed by Hoyos and his friends.
States PADI Travel: “Rather than swim away at the sight of divers, the dolphins of Socorro Island are known to curiously approach divers and remain for several minutes.”
Hoyos, a Mexico-based researcher, told For The Win Outdoors that the excursion was nearly two weeks ago, before an increase in restrictions related to COVID-19, or the coronavirus.
–Images and video courtesy of Mauricio Hoyos Padilla