Some dolphin-watching tourists had a "heartbreaking" experience recently, as they watched a deadly encounter involving a dolphin calf.
What happened?
The incident, as reported by The Guardian, occurred in Wales' Cardigan Bay, when four adult bottlenose dolphins chased and killed the dolphin calf.
It was witnessed by those aboard a boat with tourists looking for dolphins alongside experts from the Sea Watch Foundation, a dolphin conservation nonprofit. Those who saw the attack said they first saw "intense splashing" and something flung into the air, according to the news outlet. They believed it was a porpoise but soon realized it was a common dolphin calf.
"I was filming for a personal documentary at the time and couldn't believe I had captured such a rare behavior between different dolphin species," SWF intern Dylan Coundley-Hughes told The Guardian. "It was both remarkable and heartbreaking to witness."
Why are dangers for dolphins concerning?
SWF experts said they believe the attack may have been part of a competition for resources.
"Both infanticide and 'porpicide' are known to occur in Cardigan Bay, but we have never witnessed interspecific aggression towards common dolphins before," the SWF's Katrin Lohrengel told The Guardian. "While it's not surprising that this behaviour is taking place, it's very rare to witness it and even rarer to catch it on film."
Whales Online and scientific reports have noted that the bottlenose is one of three dolphin species known to have committed infanticide.
More frequently, humans are responsible for dolphin tragedies. Researchers estimate that more than 100,000 dolphins, porpoises, and small whales are killed each year.
What's being done to protect dolphins?
Many efforts are ongoing across the globe to keep dolphins safe.
In the United States, a bill proposed last year would offer stronger protection by including marine wildlife needs in fishing quota decisions. It would also account for rising global temperatures in the management of fishing limits in federal waters.
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