**UPDATE: Fungie has allegedly been spotted in Dingle harbour-- read more here. **
THERE ARE fears that Fungie the beloved Dingle dolphin may have passed over the 'rainbow bridge' as he has been missing for two days.
The intelligent creature has not been seen in his usual spot in Dingle bay for two days, leading dedicated Fungie photographers and friends Jeannine and Rudi of 'Fungie Forever' to release a heart-wrenching post admitting he may have passed away.
Taking to Facebook this evening, 15 October, Jeannine and Rudi, who have been making almost-daily trips to see Fungie for almost 30 years, wrote "We have all [known] that one day the day would come that Fungie would not show up in his beloved bay".
The post went on to detail how Fungie has not been seen in two days, and despite multiple boats taking part in the search, they confirmed "Fungie is missing".
"On Monday morning we spent a wonderful couple of hours with Fungie in the tranquillity of the bay," Fungie Forever wrote. "I never expected that the film I made of Fungie that morning could be the last film I shot of him.
"We all keep hoping for a miracle but the bay feels really empty without him."
15th October 2020... SADNESS.... We all have been knowing that one day the day would come that Fungie would not show up...
Posted by Fungie Forever Photo's of the Dingle Dolphin on Thursday, 15 October 2020
"As you will understand... we are very upset for it looks like we have lost our best friend. Fungie was a part of our lives for 29 years.
"But Fungie was part of a lot of peoples lives. He was and is and will always be loved all over the world," they went on.
"We have shared our life with Fungie with you because we knew he would always put a smile on someones face.
Admitting that they appreciate this will "come as a shock to a lot of people", Jeannine and Rudi said they cannot say for sure if Fungie "is alive or dead".
"If Fungie crossed the dolphinrainbow bridge... than he will leave a big empty space behind him for many," they wrote.
"Keep Fungie alive in your hearts.. and he will live forever." Image: Fungie Forever/Facebook
"Dingle will never be the same.. but keep Fungie alive in your hearts.. and he will live forever."
Fungie set a world record in 2019 as the world’s longest living solitary dolphin and is a firm favourite with locals and tourists alike ever since arriving in Dingle some 36 years ago.
To read Fungie Forever's emotional post in full, or to see the many hundreds of photos and videos taken of the dolphin over the years, you can visit their Facebook page here.
