Dolphins seen ‘throwing’ and killing dolphin calf in ‘rare’ encounter, video shows

A pod of bottlenose dolphins recently attacked and killed a young common dolphin in what’s been described as “an incredibly rare” encounter.

The incident took place in Cardigan Bay — located on the west coast of Wales — on the afternoon of April 17.

A video posted by the Sea Watch Foundation, a conservation charity, shows four bottlenose dolphins swarming the calf, sending white water flying.

Sarah Michelle Wyer, who witnessed the attack from a charter boat, told McClatchy News the dolphins rammed the calf, “throwing” it out of the water.

“It was a difficult thing for everybody to witness but fascinating at the same time,” Wyer, a wildlife guide and photographer, said.

After the attack, the juvenile creature was seen floating lifeless in the water, video footage shows.

This type of behavior “is very rarely seen by all accounts and may be a first on record for Cardigan Bay,” Wyer said.

The incident was reported to the U.K. Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP), which researches dolphins and whales.

The organization has obtained the common dolphin’s body, and a “full examination” will be carried out, Matthew Westfield, the CSIP Wales strandings coordinator, told McClatchy News.

He said the number of common dolphins in the bay has increased in recent years, leading to more instances of them being attacked by bottlenose dolphins — despite the fact that they are not natural competitors.

“There is a small overlap of food that both bottlenose and common dolphins eat but not enough for it to be competition for food, with the bottlenose dolphin(s) being far more skilled (hunters) and also going for larger prey,” Westfield said.

As a result, it is believed they may target common dolphins “just for fun,” he said.

Bottlenose dolphins in the bay — which number around 250 individuals — also regularly kill harbour porpoises, which do not pose a threat to their territory or food.

So these killings may also be done for “fun,” Westfield said, noting that their proficiency in hunting allows them time for “play and social activities.”

This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Dolphins seen ‘throwing’ and killing dolphin calf in ‘rare’ encounter, video shows."