What a remarkable sight to see.
The natural world has all kind of wonders to offer up. One you might not be familiar with is the “Dolphin Stampede.” We’ve all probably seen a video of a dolphin breaching the water, flying through the air, and then crashing back down into the sea. What if I told you that sometimes, in rare instances, thousands of dolphins will all do that in unison?
Dolphins, like whales and porpoises, are warm blooded mammals that breathe air through their lungs. They don’t have gills to breathe underwater like their cold-blooded, gilled fish friends. But they occupy the same space, and have adapted to living and traveling in the ocean exceptionally well for a mammal.
If you are wondering why a dolphin jumps out of the water while swimming from point a to point b, the answer is twofold. Believe it or not, they’ll opt to swim and burst out of the water because it helps them conserve energy. The drag on their bodies underwater is much greater than the drag they experience just above the surface, and they travel faster by getting some air time.
Dolphins also just like to do so. It’s a form of exercise that doubles as play for them, and it can also help with social bonding amongst the pod. Or in this case, bonding within the massive stampede. Whale watcher off the coast of San Diego, California just so happened to be in the perfect place at the perfect time to get a front row seat to a dolphin stampede speeding by their boat.
Though it’s still unknown exactly why dolphins will come together and form a traveling stampede, many believe that it’s just the result of a large number of dolphins – usually hundreds or thousands – either all fleeing from something (like a whale) or all rushing towards something (like a popular feeding spot).
The behavior, which takes coordination from a massive amount of dolphins all coming together, can be astounding to witness in person. Luckily for us, we can at least see the once-in-a-lifetime event happen on video thanks to “Gone Whale Watching.” As you’ll hear the people say in the clip, it sounds like a battalion of ships is barreling close to them.
In reality, it’s just the beautiful display known as the dolphin stampede:
“Whale watching guides off the coast of San Diego were surprised by thousands of dolphins leaping out of the water as they passed by the boat on October 16th.”
That might be one of the most breathtaking things I’ve ever seen.
So now I can add that to the list of outdoors things I’d love to see in person at some point in my life. I’d love to see a whale breach the ocean and plop back down into the water. I’d really like to see a bald eagle swoop down on a lake and snatch up a big ol’ fish. And now, I’ve got to see a dolphin stampede in action with my own eyes.
Looks like a trip to San Diego will have to scheduled.
