Interactions with natural world make a splash in Israel

JERUSALEM — Even during wintertime, Israel's southernmost Red Sea city of Eilat still enjoys warm and sunny weather and pleasant sea views.

Three lovely dolphins leap out of the shimmering sea from time to time, and then quietly swim up to a familiar person to offer a gentle kiss before swimming away. There is no feeding, no domestication or performance.

Dolphin Reef, an open water area in Eilat, allows people to get close to the dolphins while maintaining a moderate distance with minimal human intervention.

During a visit, Xinhua News Agency spoke to many tourists from different countries, who were either standing on a platform above the shore to observe the dolphins, or wearing snorkeling gear to swim freely with the dolphins.

The three dolphins, Nana, Luna and Nikita, were all born in nearby waters and live in the area, Dolphin Reef staff member Advat Gal said.

Their parents came from the Black Sea and were brought here for scientific research in the early 1990s, and have been thriving in the Red Sea ever since.

"The idea of Dolphin Reef was to let them live freely and do whatever they want with minimal interference," Gal said.

The three dolphins have made the area their home, even after their parents passed away. Over the years, they have developed strong and close ties with humans.

Dolphin Reef staff members do not intervene with feeding and domestication activities, but they observe the dolphins' daily activities or interact with them at sea, providing assistance when they are injured or sick.

Gal and her partners have forged "strong relationships" with the dolphins. They often go to the deep water, but would come back because of their ties with human beings, Gal said.