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| New Quay: Bottlenose dolphins spotted killing dolphin calf | New Quay: Bottlenose dolphins spotted killing dolphin calf |
| (3 months later) | |
| It is very common for bottlenose dolphins to attack porpoises but not a common dolphin juvenile | It is very common for bottlenose dolphins to attack porpoises but not a common dolphin juvenile |
| A common dolphin juvenile has been killed by four bottlenose dolphins in an attack that could become more common as the oceans warm, a cetacean expert has warned. | A common dolphin juvenile has been killed by four bottlenose dolphins in an attack that could become more common as the oceans warm, a cetacean expert has warned. |
| One person on a dolphin spotting trip from New Quay, Ceredigion, was left "hysterical" by the incident on Thursday at 18:10 BST in Cardigan Bay, where the juvenile was thrown out of the water. | |
| Climate change means common dolphin numbers are increasing in the area, where resident bottlenose dolphins will hunt them as a form of "play", said Matthew Westfield from the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP). | Climate change means common dolphin numbers are increasing in the area, where resident bottlenose dolphins will hunt them as a form of "play", said Matthew Westfield from the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP). |
| It recovered the juvenile - estimated to be two years old - to perform an autopsy. | It recovered the juvenile - estimated to be two years old - to perform an autopsy. |
| "Across the UK we are seeing more attacks where a bottlenose dolphin attacks a common dolphin juvenile," he said. | "Across the UK we are seeing more attacks where a bottlenose dolphin attacks a common dolphin juvenile," he said. |
| A boat owned by Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips and carrying 12 passengers spotted what they initially thought was a porpicide - the name given to the deliberate killing of a harbour porpoise by bottlenose dolphins | A boat owned by Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips and carrying 12 passengers spotted what they initially thought was a porpicide - the name given to the deliberate killing of a harbour porpoise by bottlenose dolphins |
| The group included Ghost, a favourite with dolphin spotters. | The group included Ghost, a favourite with dolphin spotters. |
| The incident has been described as an incredibly rare encounter | The incident has been described as an incredibly rare encounter |
| "Ghost and another dolphin she was with all of a sudden started speeding towards this larger group of dolphins," said passenger Holly Williams, 35. | "Ghost and another dolphin she was with all of a sudden started speeding towards this larger group of dolphins," said passenger Holly Williams, 35. |
| "They started jumping out the water and we thought they were just playing." | "They started jumping out the water and we thought they were just playing." |
| They saw something being flung out of the water by the dolphins and initially thought it was a salmon. | They saw something being flung out of the water by the dolphins and initially thought it was a salmon. |
| "My daughter was hysterical," said Ms Williams. | "My daughter was hysterical," said Ms Williams. |
| "She loves animals and is very sensitive." | "She loves animals and is very sensitive." |
| The company's photographer Sarah Michelle Wyer, 30, said: "It was an incredibly rare encounter where a pod of bottlenose dolphin attacked and killed a common dolphin calf. | |
| "I've never seen that behaviour before. It's very common for bottlenose dolphins to attack porpoise bit not a common dolphin calf." | "I've never seen that behaviour before. It's very common for bottlenose dolphins to attack porpoise bit not a common dolphin calf." |
| Dylan Coundley-Hughes, 22, is a researcher for the SeaWatch Foundation caught the attack on camera. | Dylan Coundley-Hughes, 22, is a researcher for the SeaWatch Foundation caught the attack on camera. |
| "These kind of attacks are so rare to see in person. We know they happen in the wild but it's rare they're ever seen," he said. | "These kind of attacks are so rare to see in person. We know they happen in the wild but it's rare they're ever seen," he said. |
| Mr Westfield said the increasing number of common dolphins in the area mean more interactions with the resident population of about 250 bottle nose dolphins. | Mr Westfield said the increasing number of common dolphins in the area mean more interactions with the resident population of about 250 bottle nose dolphins. |
| "Its not that clear why they do it," he said. | "Its not that clear why they do it," he said. |
| The food the two types of dolphins eat only "slightly" overlap, he explained. | The food the two types of dolphins eat only "slightly" overlap, he explained. |
| Matthew Whitefield described the bottlenose dolphin as an apex predator | Matthew Whitefield described the bottlenose dolphin as an apex predator |
| "The bottlenose is probably the most intelligent cetacean we see on the Welsh coast. | "The bottlenose is probably the most intelligent cetacean we see on the Welsh coast. |
| "They are an apex predator with a huge intelligence and a lot of free time because they are so good at hunting." | "They are an apex predator with a huge intelligence and a lot of free time because they are so good at hunting." |
| He said the attacks are probably down to "something as simple as play". | He said the attacks are probably down to "something as simple as play". |
| They are also brutal he said, adding: "The calf was most likely with its family pod when the bottlenose dolphins separated it off." | They are also brutal he said, adding: "The calf was most likely with its family pod when the bottlenose dolphins separated it off." |