Animals have evolved various ways to find and catch their food in the wild. Some of these hunting strategies are quite unusual and ingenious, involving tools, teamwork, and even trickery.
How Dolphins Use Tools, Teamwork, and Trickery to Get Their Dinner
Dolphins are among the most intelligent and social animals on the planet. They have developed a range of hunting techniques that showcase their cognitive and cooperative abilities.
Here are some examples of how dolphins hunt their prey in different habitats and situations, as per ABC News.
Mud-ring feeding
Some bottlenose dolphins in Florida and the Caribbean have learned to create a ring of mud around a school of fish by stirring up the sediment with their tails. The fish are trapped inside the ring and try to escape by jumping over it, only to be caught by the waiting dolphins.
This behavior is usually performed by a group of dolphins, but some individuals have been observed doing it solo as well.
Strand feeding
Some dolphins, such as the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins of Shark Bay, Australia, have mastered the risky technique of strand feeding. This involves chasing fish up onto the beach and then gulping them down before wriggling back into the water.
This behavior exposes the dolphins to potential predators, sunburns, and dehydration, but also gives them access to a rich food source.
Sponge carrying
Another unique behavior observed in Shark Bay is sponge carrying.
Some female dolphins use marine sponges as tools to protect their noses while foraging on the seafloor. The sponges act as a shield against sharp rocks, stinging animals, and sand particles. The dolphins also use the sponges to flush out hidden prey from crevices and burrows.
Cooperative hunting
Dolphins are known to hunt cooperatively with other dolphins, as well as with other species.
For example, some bottlenose dolphins in Brazil work together with local fishermen to drive fish into their nets. The dolphins signal to the fishermen when to cast their nets, and in return, they get to feed on the escaping fish.
Similarly, some orcas in Norway collaborate with herring fishermen by herding the fish into their nets and getting a share of the catch.
Deceptive hunting
Dolphins can also use deception and manipulation to trick their prey into falling for their traps. For instance, some orcas in Antarctica have learned to create waves that knock seals off ice floes into the water, where they can be easily captured. Some false killer whales in New Zealand have been seen faking distress calls to lure pilot whales into a trap.
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Other Animals with Unusual Hunting Strategies
Dolphins are not the only animals that have evolved unusual hunting strategies. Here are some other examples of animals that use tools, teamwork, or trickery to get their food.
Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives and share many of our cognitive abilities. They are also proficient tool users and makers, using sticks, stones, leaves, and other objects for various purposes.
One of their most impressive hunting techniques is termite fishing, which involves inserting a stick into a termite mound and then licking off the insects that cling to it.
Chimpanzees also hunt cooperatively for monkeys and other animals, using complex communication and coordination.
Crows
Crows are among the smartest birds in the world. They have been observed using tools such as twigs, leaves, wires, and hooks to extract food from hard-to-reach places. They can also modify existing tools or create new ones to suit their needs.
Some crows have even learned to drop nuts on busy roads and wait for cars to crack them open.
Octopuses
Octopuses are highly intelligent and adaptable invertebrates. They can use tools such as shells, rocks, coconut husks, and bottles to hide from predators or ambush prey. They can also manipulate objects with their tentacles and use them as weapons or lures.
Some octopuses have been seen throwing rocks at crabs or mimicking other animals to fool their enemies or attract their victims.
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