Off the coast of Maui, a high-flying dolphin was captured on camera by a group of wildlife experts, with them dubbing it, “the Michael Jordan of dolphins.”

The Pacific Whale Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the ocean through science and advocacy, captured the momentous jump while doing field research. And while dolphins are known to leap from the water, this one was particularly huge.

Check out the image below.

Captioning the capture, The Pacific Whale Foundation wrote:

“THIS IS NOT AI ** Introducing the Michael Jordan of Dolphins, Air Dolphin estimated jump 15 ft in the air. This incredible shot was captured by our research team in the field.“To put that into perspective: Pantropical spotted dolphins grow to about 6–7 feet long and weigh around 250 pounds. If a human could match this feat relative to their body size, it would be like jumping clear over a basketball hoop.“Pantropical spotted dolphins are found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. These energetic dolphins are highly social and are often seen traveling with other species like rough-toothed dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, and spinner dolphins.”

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As the photo made its rounds on social media, morning news outlets also picked up on the dolphin flying through the air for their feel-good segments, supplemented with remarks like “what a shot!” and “I’ve never seen anything like that” and “weeee!”

The Pacific Whale Foundation, for their part, does eco-tours for groups on Maui with the proceeds going towards research, education, conservation, and outreach to provide to provide ocean and marine life protection.

In addition to the science and activism, they occasionally witness once-in-a-lifetime moments. Learn more about the Pacific Whale Foundation here.

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This story was originally published by Surfer on Mar 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking here.