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Pelorus Jack, The Heroic Dolphin That Was The World’s First Legally Protected Sea Animal
A brave sea creature became so famous that a country moved to have it formally protected
Dolphins have long been considered to be among the most intelligent and empathetic animals on earth. There have been countless stories of how they have befriended and aided people over the years. One of the most famous was Pelorus Jack, who greeted and helped guide ships through a particularly dangerous area of water in New Zealand for more than 20 years, becoming the first sea animal to gain individual legal protection from any country.
Pelorus Jack was a Risso’s dolphin that first came to attention in 1888 in Cook’s Strait, New Zealand. For the next 24 years, the animal came to prominence for regularly acting as an unofficial guide, helping vessels navigate the waters, especially in Admiralty Bay near French Pass, which was known as a dangerous channel to travel through.
There is no official reason as to why the dolphin was named Pelorus Jack, as its sex still being a mystery. It’s believed the animal was named after either the pelorus, a marine navigational tool, or for Pelorus Sound, which was the entrance of water in proximity to where it most frequently assisted ships.
