Even American media has picked up on the search for Fungie the dolphin.
Concerns over the whereabouts of Dingle's most famous resident have been mounting for days now, after worried locals realised that Fungie had not been seen since last Tuesday.
One of the Kingdom's most well-known residents, Fungie can usually be seen swimming around the mouth of Dingle Harbour. Missing for over a week now, Skipper Paul Hand got our hopes up during the week when he seemingly confirmed that the dolphin had been found safe and well... unfortunately that was not the case and while the search continued over the weekend, it has since been called off due to bad weather in the area.
Updating the public on the situation,
Dingle Sea Safari took to Instagram to say:
"After an extensive search today joined by Mallow Search and Rescue Divers, Dingle coast and cliff and Dingle Dolphin Tour boats along with other vessels, unfortunately, we have no news of Fungie's whereabouts.
"At this stage, we are calling off the search in the hopes that Fungie has just gone off on an adventure and if he so chooses will one day return to us.
"We can't thank Mallow Search and Rescue enough for trying to locate our dear friend and as they say no news is good news.
"Wherever you are my friend I hope you are safe and happy thank you for all the years of joy you have brought to so many people."
A national treasure, the story of the search for Fungie has saturated Irish media and social media feeds all week and it turns out the story has even made its way across the water... no pun intended.
https://twitter.com/TourismIreland/status/1318691279685996544
Catching the attention of the bigwigs at CNN Travel, the American publication shared an article on the search for "Ireland's beloved bottlenose dolphin", writing:
"As the Irish government moves the country back into a strict, national lockdown for six weeks, an unlikely story continues to break through the endless Covid-19 headlines.
Fungie, a bottlenose dolphin, is missing from the scenic County Kerry coast in Ireland's southwest, where he has lived at the entrance to Dingle's harbor since 1983."
Later describing Fungie as "an Irish celebrity", the piece also includes a word from Simon Berrow, chief science officer and acting CEO of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. Saying that people will be looking for Fungie for "years to come", Berrow predicts: "there might be lots of 'false' sightings, like Elvis, but his legacy will live on for a long time". You can read the full CNN story
here.
Here's hoping Fungie has just tipped off on his holliers and that nothing more sinister is at play... I don't think my heart could take it.
Header image via Shutterstock/Fungie the dolphin, Dingle, June 2017.
