Sights and sounds dolphins, Tursiops truncatus preying on native fish of San Diego Bay and offshore in the Pacific Ocean

PLoS One. 2022 Aug 17;17(8):e0265382. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265382. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

For the first time, dolphins wearing video cameras were observed capturing and eating live native fish. While freely swimming in San Diego Bay, one dolphin caught 69 resident fish, 64 demersal, 5 near surface, while the other caught 40, 36 demersal and 4 near the surface. Two other dolphins were observed capturing 135 live native fish in a sea water pool. Two additional dolphins were observed feeding opportunistically during open water sessions in the Pacific Ocean. Notably, one of these dolphins was observed to consume 8 yellow-bellied sea snakes (Hydrophis platurus). Searching dolphins clicked at intervals of 20 to 50 ms. On approaching prey, click intervals shorten into a terminal buzz and then a squeal. Squeals were bursts of clicks that varied in duration, peak frequency, and amplitude. Squeals continued as the dolphin seized, manipulated and swallowed the prey. If fish escaped, the dolphin continued the chase and sonar clicks were heard less often than the continuous terminal buzz and squeal. During captures, the dolphins' lips flared to reveal nearly all of the teeth. The throat expanded outward. Fish continued escape swimming even as they entered the dolphins' mouth, yet the dolphin appeared to suck the fish right down.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bays
  • Bottle-Nosed Dolphin*
  • Fishes
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Sound

Grants and funding

The authors (SR, DD) received funding from the Office of Naval Research (https://www.onr.navy.mil/). The associated grant number is 12604848. In addition, authors received funding from the National Marine Mammal Foundation (nmmf.org). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.