JoJo the Dolphin: National Treasure in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Friendly Cetacean Protected and Cherished in the Islands

He’s a muscular athlete weighing in at a cool 250 pounds. With the ability to double the strength of his strokes in the water, he’s a real powerhouse. His magnetic personality makes him such a charmer; it’s no wonder he’s such a popular star on the big screen.

He is JoJo, probably the most famous bottlenose dolphin in the world, a star of both movie and IMAX screen, who swims the waters of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This dolphin is known, not only throughout the islands, but internationally. In 1989 JoJo was even awarded the title of National Treasure in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

How did it all begin? The answer lies in a very special relationship that exists between JoJo and Dean Bernal, a freediver and naturalist who met JoJo in 1981. Orphaned at a young age, JoJo was in the company of a couple of other dolphins when Bernal first met him. Bernal was an avid swimmer and dive instructor and thoroughly enjoyed the company of these marine animals.

However, it became increasingly clear that one dolphin in particular was eager to spend time with Bernal. There were several occasions where JoJo was so keen to play that the dive instructor had to interrupt his instruction and swim off for a few minutes.

“He (JoJo) learned that if he bit onto my regulator hose and pulled, I would follow him wherever he wanted to go,” recalls Bernal in the lovely videos showcased on his website The Dean & JoJo Story.

The Dean & JoJo Story” – The story of a man and a dolphin

The reciprocal care between these two individuals was forever cemented when JoJo was struck one day by a motorboat and severely injured. Bernal essentially nursed the dolphin back to strong health. The accident prompted Bernal to campaign for the protection of JoJo. Not only was JoJo granted National Treasure status, but Bernal was designated as JoJo’s official warden.

Subsequently, Bernal began the JoJo Dolphin Project which prompted the creation of the broader Marine Wildlife Foundation, “a grassroots project dedicated to the research and preservation of dolphins, whales, and indeed all wildlife”.

This unique friendship between dolphin and man has lasted decades and prompted international attention. A movie “The Dean and JoJo Story” was released in 2012. As well, the two are featured in the 2012 IMAX presentation of “Dolphins”. In addition, a book, “Dean and JoJo: The Dolphin Legacy”, was released in November of 2013. It is a story that entertains and inspires.

A permanent resident off Grace Bay, JoJo is frequently seen by tourists leaping from the water or swimming behind the wake of boats. Some resorts along Grace Bay Beach even have a bell for eyewitnesses to ring when they spot JoJo making a splash along the beachfront. What makes this magnificent creature so special is his fondness for interacting with humans in his habitat. JoJo actively seeks out human companionship. Visitors share stories of JoJo swimming very close to them while they snorkel or spinning through the wake of their boats

“We were in the water, near the anchor chain, when I noticed JoJo floating right in front of us. For the next minute he just floated around and then eventually moved on to visit another boat nearby,” shared one traveller who posted on You Tube video below.

Said one woman on the Dean and JoJo facebook page, “I was snorkeling and he came swimming up. I held very still”.

This dolphin serves as a highly social reminder of the amazing marine world that exists and the importance of preserving it for future generations.

“JoJo is an ambassador bottlenose dolphin,” writes Jay Sargent on his website. As a snorkeler and freediver, Jay has had the opportunity for many years to swim with JoJo as well as many other dolphins in JoJo’s social circle.

A star in his own right, JoJo is a Caribbean curiosity, a creature celebrated as a symbol of Turks and Caicos’ national pride. Protecting him has served as a catalyst for marine and wildlife preservation throughout the islands and well beyond their borders.

And if you’re lucky and happen to encounter him while relaxing on Villa del Mar’s beachfront along Grace Bay Beach, you’ll see that he makes for an incredible swimming buddy.