Tag: Dolphin

‘Pass the Puffer!’ Boaters encounter ‘very high’ dolphin

The dolphin appeared to have been in a trance, perhaps induced by a toxic substance found in pufferfish.

Tourists in Costa Rica this week encountered a dolphin that appeared to be in a trance or possibly ill.

The accompanying footage shows the boat slowly approaching the dolphin, which remained motionless with its head out of the water.

“Hello. What are you doing buddy?” the tour operator asks as the vessel inches closer. “Are you OK?”

Sierra Goodman of Divine Dolphin described the encounter via social media:

“Bottlenose dolphins will often spyhop, that is sticking their face out of the water to see around them. But this guy was in this position for several minutes with his eyes closed, and did not move until we were right next to him and I could have reached out and touched him.

“He was either deep in meditation, or, as dolphins are known to do, he sucked on a puffer fish, which produces hallucinogenic effects. Either way, we encountered a very high Dolphin! Pass the Puffer!”

Dolphins are known to play with and chew on pufferfish, which contain a toxic substance that is potentially deadly to other fish and marine mammals.

Four years ago, BBC Earth published a YouTube video showing dolphins “passing the puffer” and gently chewing the fish.

It was explained in the footage (posted above) that small doses of the toxin appear to have a narcotic effect on dolphins – enough so, apparently, to place the mammals into a deep trance.

10 weird dolphin facts that you’ve probably never heard about

You’ll dolphin-itely want to know these facts.

For ages, humans have been fascinated by dolphins. In Greek mythology, these unique marine animals served as messengers for Poseidon, the god of the sea. Found all over the world, dolphins play a part in many traditional stories. From Ganges river dolphins in South Asia to Amazon river dolphins throughout South America, these intriguing creatures have captured the imaginations of people worldwide throughout history.

Dive into what makes this species so interesting with Outdoors Wire’s list of 10 fun facts about dolphins. Go beyond the basics to learn about the impressive and strange lives of the ocean’s most adored animal. Explore more wildlife facts in these articles on koalas, sharks, and lions.

Watch: Orca leaps 15 feet during dramatic dolphin hunt

On Monday we shared video footage showing an orca’s extraordinary leap while attacking a dolphin Sunday in Mexico’s Sea Of Cortez. Late Monday a sharper clip surfaced showing the same incident, but from a different angle.

On Monday we shared video footage showing an orca’s extraordinary leap while attacking a dolphin Sunday in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Late Monday a sharper clip surfaced, showing the same incident from a different angle.

The footage, captured by Afrelandra Glez. Cibrián, shows the orca slamming the dolphin during a vertical charge and vault of about 15 feet. (Best viewed with sound.)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPACJZ2g9Yg/

“Orcas should always be free to jump out of the water and follow their natural instincts!” the Instagram description reads. “They don’t deserve to be used as human entertainment and be kept in captivity.”

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The predation at Cabo Pulmo, a dive spot north of Cabo San Lucas, occurred after several boats had gathered to view an orca pod of about 10 animals. The footage below was captured via cellphone by Miguel Cuevas of Cabo Pulmo Divers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CO-we3PgF9P/

The orcas killed the dolphin during a scene that played out over several hours. Eastern Tropical Pacific orcas, or killer whales, often prey on marine mammals.

–Image courtesy of Miguel Cuevas

Watch: Dolphin enjoys belly rub against swift-moving boat

Whale watchers out of Oceanside, Calif., on Monday watched a Pacific white-sided dolphin enjoying a belly rub against the boat.

Who doesn’t love a good belly rub? And who says you have to be stationary to enjoy the sensation?

For whale watchers out of Oceanside, Calif., on Monday, it was fun just watching Pacific white-sided dolphins swim beneath the 50-foot Oceanside Adventures catamaran. The mammals are a fairly common sight during the winter, according to Donna Kalez, owner of Oceanside Adventures.

But suddenly, in a rarely observed behavior, one dolphin turned upside down and rubbed its white belly against one of the catamaran’s pontoons for nearly two minutes, as though it were relieving an itch.

“We love them and they’re super cute and fun, but normally not that playful,” Kalez said. “But that dolphin was having blast!”

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Most dolphin species, including killer whales, are known to swim near and beneath fast-moving vessels, and to surf and leap in their wakes. But physical contact, such as the seemingly effortless belly rub shown in the video, is not commonly observed.

Pacific white-sided dolphins are named because of the light coloration that runs along their sides and into the facial area. The mammals have black beaks and and a black ring around each eye.

The footage was captured via iPad by Oceanside Adventures first mate Chris Fairbanks. Capt. Shane Hansen was driving the boat.

–Top image courtesy of Oceanside Adventures; generic Pacific white-sided dolphin image courtesy of NOAA Fisheries

Rare sighting involves dolphin eating an octopus; no easy meal

A research team from Portugal on Wednesday watched in amazement as a Risso’s dolphin emerged with an octopus in its mouth.

A research team from Portugal on Wednesday watched in amazement as a Risso’s dolphin emerged with an octopus in its mouth (top photo).

“Sightings like this are very rare so everyone aboard in Ketos were very excited!” the group, AIMM, wrote on Facebook. “It was a good day for AIMM researchers and interns.”

While dolphins will attack an octopus, the feeding events are rarely witnessed. When they are witnessed, at the surface, it’s sometimes because the dolphins are experiencing issues with their clever and sticky adversaries.

Bottlenose dolphin with ‘naughty octopus.’ Photo: Joan Gonzalvo/Ionian Dolphin Project

The AIMM sighting brings to mind an event documented off Greece in 2012, involving a bottlenose dolphin that was jumping with an octopus clinging to its belly – more precisely, its private region.

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Joan Gonzalvo, a researcher with the Ionian Dolphin Project, used the term “naughty octopus” in a blog post describing the encounter. The dolphin eventually shook off – and presumably devoured – the pesky octopus.

Grandma the river dolphin. Photos: Jodie Lowe/Port Macquarie Cruise Adventures

In 2017 in Australia, photographer Jodie Lowe of Port Macquarie Cruise Adventures captured images showing a dolphin leaping from the Hastings River with an octopus clinging to its belly.

The company wrote on Facebook: “Awesome encounter with our local river dolphins on our National Park Eco Cruise today. We got to witness one of our local river dolphins, Grandma, with an octopus stuck to her and she was getting into midair trying to take it off.

“In the end she got it off and ate it.”

At the time, Grandma, matriarch of the Hastings River pod, was estimated to be 25-30 years old.

–Risso’s dolphin image atop this Post is courtesy of Michal Topczewski/AIMM

Watch: Dolphin launches like a rocket near whale watchers

Whale watchers off California received an unexpected dolphin show when one from a pod launched high into the sky right next to the boat.

Whale watchers aboard a boat off Southern California received an unexpected dolphin show Wednesday when one from a pod of 60 launched like a rocket right next to the boat.

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If not for passenger Joni Kilgore recording video at the time, the amazing height the dolphin reached would have been but a memory. Instead, she shared it with Newport Coastal Adventure, the whale-watching company out of Newport Beach which led the trip.

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“The excited bottlenose dolphin jumped at least 20 feet in the air right next to our boat,” Jessica Roame told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors, adding that the dolphin “rocketed out of the water for fun, delighting our whale-watching passengers.”

Obvious from the video, the reaction of the whale watchers was delight and amazement.

“Bottlenose dolphin are among the most intelligent animals in the ocean, and to witness them behaving in this way is both wondrous and incredible,” Roame said.

The whale watchers also were treated to the sighting of a dolphin known as Patches; the photo below explains the nickname.

“His sighting is significant in Orange County because he is a very recognizable bottlenose dolphin with pink colored ‘patches’ all over his body,” Roame told For The Win Outdoors.

“These pink ‘patches’ are caused by a genetic abnormality called leucism, which gives it an unmistakable color pattern. He usually travels with a large group of conspecifics and has been reported all over the Southern California Bight, from the Mexican Border to the Santa Barbara Channel.

“The skin underneath appears pink because of the blood vessels of the animal showing through their non-pigmented skin.

“These marine mammals can be between 6-12-feet long and weigh close to 1,400 pounds when they’re fully grown, so it was a thrilling sight for all our passengers to witness.”

Highlighted, of course, by the high-flying dolphin.

Photos by Joni Kilgore and Delaney Trowbridge, who captured the closeup photo of the dolphin returning to the water.

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