Lovina, located on the northwest side of Bali, has long been famous for its black-sand coast and dolphin-watching. About two and a half hours away from the hustle and bustle of the South, it’s the place where tourists are happily willing to wake up early in the day in order to catch a boat and go see the dolphins.
Most tourists in Lovina are happy to catch sight of a dolphin or two, but if you’re very, very lucky, you might get to witness the rare sight of dolphins frolicking en masse.
Such was the spectacle caught yesterday by onlookers on a boat off the coast of Lovina beach, where hundreds of dolphins could be seen swimming together in a viral video that was shared on Instagram.
According to Budi Kurniawan, who heads the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) in Bali, Lovina Beach has long been part of a migration route for dolphins. They are known to move from the eastern part of Indonesia, including the waters off the coast of Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi, to northern Bali and Java Sea, then on to the Indian ocean.
“This is part of their transit route, and it’s pretty intense. This is because [Lovina] is where warm and cold currents meet, and this is what dolphins are fond of,” Budi told Kompas.com.
The BKSDA Bali head said that dolphins will continue to use the same route as long as the mammals consider it safe from disturbances. Budi said this is why tourism zoning in marina areas is necessary to protect marine wildlife such as dolphins.
“In terms of policy, there needs to be a zoning system. Areas where wildlife is thriving need to be part of a zoning system,” Budi said, adding that lawmakers are currently deliberating the matter as part of a zoning plan for Bali, known as RZWP3K.
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