Six Senses Laamu Creates Code of Conduct for Dolphin Watching

Six Senses Laamu has established a Code of Conduct for dolphin watching in an attempt to help protect the local spinner and bottlenose dolphins, and to ensure the future sustainability of their populations.

The code has been implemented by Rachel Lambert, the resort’s Resident Biologist, who has a Biological Science Degree from University of Oxford, and a Masters in Marine Biology of Environmental Management from University of London.

Rachel spent two seasons working together with a UK marine mammal charity before going to the Maldives to join Six Senses.

“Loss of animals from the local ecosystem would have both ecological and economic impacts for the resort. A growing awareness of these issues lead to the development of local codes of conduct for the boats around dolphin population to encourage sustainable tourism. Therefore, a code of conduct has been developed for our boat drivers around our local Spinner and Bottlenose dolphin population,” said Rachel.

Some specifics of the Six Senses Laamu Code of Conduct include:

- Keep at least 50 metres away
- Do not approach from directly behind or head on
- Allow the dolphins to choose to approach the boat
- No rapid changes in speed or rapid changes in direction – be predictable
- 6 knots when within 150 metres
- Do not cut them off or chase them
- Do not separate mothers and calves

Six Senses Laamu offers Sunset Dolphin Cruises for US$ 99 plus taxes per person.

Spinner and Bottlenose Dolphins

Dolphin watching is a positive activity as it allows people to see these highly intelligent and charismatic animals in their natural environment.

In the southern Laamu Atoll, where Six Senses Laamu is found, guests are able to see two amazing types of dolphins – the spinner and bottlenose that swim and spin all along the seashell dappled shores of the resort.

Spinner dolphins are well known for their acrobatics and aerial behaviours. These dolphins come out of the water, front first, and twist their bodies as they ascend in the air up to 5.5 spins in one leap. The spinner dolphin lives in many tropical and subtropical waters, especially in the Maldives.

Today this type of dolphin is listed on Appendix of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding covers the spinner dolphin for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region.

Bottlenose dolphins are known worldwide as Genus Tursiops, as they communicate through burst pulsed sounds, whistles, and body language. Their considerable intelligence has driven interaction with humans. The species sometimes shows curiosity towards humans in or near water. They have been known to rescue injured divers by raising them to the surface.