Humpback dolphins in Queensland's Fitzroy River use risky behaviour to catch prey
ABCA pod of humpback dolphins in the Fitzroy River in central Queensland have been spotted using rare and risky behaviour to catch their prey. Key points: A Southern Cross University researcher says it's the first time humpback dolphins have been seen strand feeding in Australia He says it's rare and risky behaviour, as the risk of becoming stranded is high Researchers will monitor the vulnerable species and how they react to the impacts of climate change Southern Cross University researcher Daniele Cagnazzi said the dolphins, weighing up to 250 kilograms, were beaching themselves on mudbanks in a technique called stand feeding. "Since this behaviour is routinely repeated it must provide an important proportion of their daily feeding needs — dolphins must consume 4 to 6 per cent of their own body weight in fish each day." "Western Australian bottlenose dolphins do something very similar where they chase fish in very shallow water but they don't generally do full stranding like the humpback dolphins in the Fitzroy," he said.
Discover Related
)
)
)
