The incredible dolphins feeding frenzy showing them chase fish on to the shore so that they can eat them
Unusual hunting techniques witnessed off the Georgia and Carolina coasts
Dolphins race towards the shore whilst disorientating fish
he dolphins beach themselves and capture the fish as they flail
Scientists are concerned that the mammals could injure themselves or simply die as they beach
A group of dolphins living off the Carolina and Georgia coast have come up with an unusual way in which to hunt.
Knows as ‘dolphin stranding’, the term is normally used to describe dolphins that have beached themselves for some reason.
However, new footage from ABC News and National Geographic show the mammals are using the same technique to hunt fish – essentially by forcing the fish up on shore.
Don't be fooled: They may appear cute and cuddly but dolphins are intrepid hunters of the sea
Remarkable: The footage was captured by National Geographic as part of their 'Secret Life of Predators' series
Plotting: The dolphins rush to the shore to capture the fish but first they confuse them
Scott Snider, National Geographic’s director of photography, says the dolphins use their echolocation to confuse their prey and then chase them to the shore.
The dolphins’ strange feeding pattern while filming the documentary, ‘Secret Life of Predators.’
‘They’re constantly echolocating and hunting and trying to find these schools of mullet. And when they do, they’ll start to work them up. Once they get them right where they want them on just the right stretch of beach, there’s a vocal cue and they make a sound and they all rush at the same time,’ Mr Snider told ABC News.
‘They all make this bow wave and it throws and crashes and breaks these mullet up on the beach,’ he continued. ‘Then they lay there on their sides, mouths open, waiting, trying to catch these mullet that are flopping back down.’
Confusion: Underwater the dolphins make sounds that disorientate the fish making them easy prey
Thrashing: The dolphins race towards the shore and using underwater cues ready themselves for the onslaught
Full steam ahead: The dolphins beach themselves and literally force the fish ashore too
Right before they beach themselves, the dolphins make a ‘strong’ noise, Snider said.
‘You’ll hear a lot of clicks and whistles while they’re shoring up the fish,’ he said. ‘Then all of the sudden there’s a strong vocalization — a much louder noise — right before they’re going to strand, switching a half a second to a second every single time.’
After rushing the fish, the dolphins beach themselves, and wait for the fish to make their way back to the shoreline, hoping to catch one in their mouths as they wait.
Dolphins are often thought of as friendly, innocent, almost cuddly creatures of the sea, but biologists say we should see these mammals as the cunning and ruthless hunters they really are.
Good idea? Scientists believe it's either an ingenious way of catching fish or a suicide mission
Beached: The dolphins can't afford to hang around long as they could get burned by he sunshine or damage their internal organs as the water is no longer supporting their 400lb weight
On target: Looks as though the tactics worked on this occasion as this fish has no chance as approaches the jaws of a dolphin
Dinner: The dolphins have proven to be adept at catching fish in this manner
‘They need to make a living, they’re predators, and they are good at it,’ Snider said. ‘They’re just like lions or tigers or anything else for their niche.’
Scientists are divided on whether this is really an effective hunting method or more of a suicide mission. For although the dolphins seems to be experts at this method of hunting, they could also be causing themselves more harm than good. If they stay on the beach shoreline too long, they can burn or crush their internal organs.
‘A lot of bad things can happen,’ said Mr Snider.’ There is of course the ongoing threat of humans getting in the way of their hunting patterns, and other threats such as oyster shells and other trash that could slice open a dolphins’ rubbery skin.’
So although these creatures may be among the most intelligent mammals, this new found style of hunting, may not be the more practical.
Worried: Scientists are concerned that the dolphins may injure themselves permanently or slice their skin open on sharp objects that are left on the beach
Wonder if it will catch on? A group of dolphins off the Carolina coast have come up with a unique way of hunting fish. It involves a great deal of thrashing before beaching themselves on shore
