Dolphins are known for being intelligent and playful animals, but did you know they are also excellent hunters? They eat a wide range of food, as they are carnivorous creatures. This means they mainly eat other animals who live in the water. However, what dolphins eat can vary depending on their species, where they live, and available food.
Discovering the Dolphin’s Diet
In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of dolphin nutrition and learn about the different types of food these marine mammals consume. We will examine their main diet staples, the kinds of animals they hunt, and how they catch their prey. Get ready to dive in and discover what dolphins eat!
What Dolphins Eat Primary
Dolphins eat meat, and their diet consists mainly of other animals from water. The kind of food dolphins eat can change based on the type of dolphin, where they live, and what food is available to them. Some of the main things dolphins eat are squid, fish, jellyfish, shrimp, and octopus. These foods give dolphins the nutrients they need, making up the most crucial part of their diet.
Different Types of Food Consumed by Dolphins
Dolphins, besides their primary food source, have been observed to consume a variety of other marine animals. These include anchovies, carp, catfish, cod, crabs, gobies, herring, krill, mackerel, mullet, salmon, sardines, sawfish, shrimp, smelt, tuna, as well as different kinds of shellfish and invertebrates. It is worth noting that the types of food dolphins eat may differ depending on the species and the availability of these items in their habitat.
List Of Foods A Dolphin Will Eat
If available to a dolphin within their habitat, they eat the following.
- Anchovies
- Carp
- Catfish
- Cod
- Crabs
- Gobies
- Herring
- Krill
- Jellyfish
- Mackeral
- Mullet
- Octopuses
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Sawfish
- Shrimp
- Smelt
- Squid
- Tuna
Feeding Habits
Dolphins eat whatever sea animals they can find in their area. How they eat can differ depending on the kind of dolphin and the size of their prey.
Amount and How Often They Eat
A dolphin weighing between 400 and 500 pounds must eat 25 to 50 pounds of fish and other sea animals daily. This is about 5% of their body weight. Remember that the food they need can differ depending on the dolphin’s body and how it works.
Exploring the Different Diets of Dolphins
There are several reasons why the different varieties of dolphins have a diverse diet.
Location: Where dolphins live affects their food choices. Dolphins in the Amazon River have different prey options than those in the open ocean. This is because different environments have different types of prey.
Health and Nutrition: Dolphins, like humans, need specific calories and nutrients to stay healthy. Their food choices may be influenced by what their species needs.
Teeth and Snout Shape: The shape and size of a dolphin’s teeth and snout determine what kind of food they prefer. Dolphins with sharp teeth usually eat fish, while those with round teeth eat soft-bodied prey like squid or octopus. The shape of their snout can also tell us about their feeding behaviour, like hunting near the water’s surface or digging in sandy bottoms.
Dolphins have a diverse diet because of where they live, their health, and how their bodies are built. This diversity helps them survive in different habitats around the world.
Dolphin’s Diet: Fish, Plastic, and Unfortunate Consequences
Dolphins need to eat fish, and some dolphins in the deep ocean prefer to eat jellyfish or squid. Dolphins are naturally playful and curious, so that they can eat other marine animals. Sometimes, dolphins accidentally eat small rocks, pieces of seaweed, and shellfish. They can also eat plastic in the ocean, which is very harmful and can cause them to die. This is a common cause of death in dolphins that get stuck on land called stranding. If you want to learn more about what baby dolphins eat, you can read about them here.
Variation in Dolphin Diets Depending on Location
Different types of dolphins have varied dietary preferences depending on their region.
Atlantic bottlenose dolphins: These dolphins in the Atlantic Ocean mainly eat catfish and mullet.
Indus River dolphins: These dolphins, residing in the Indus River, primarily feed on freshwater fish such as carp and gobies.
Southern Hemisphere dolphins: Dolphins living in the southern hemisphere mainly rely on squid or shrimp for their diet. For example, dusky dolphins in this region feed on anchovies.
Dietary Preferences of Different Dolphin Species
Dolphins are opportunistic eaters, meaning they eat whatever aquatic animals are available in their territory.
River Dolphins: Most river dolphins eat crustaceans (like crabs and lobsters) and other freshwater fish that they find in their environment.
Pelagic Dolphins: Dolphins, like rough-toothed dolphins, mainly eat squid.
Spinner Dolphins: These dolphins primarily consume jellyfish and other fish in their habitat. They also rely on krill, which are tiny shrimp-like creatures.
Killer Whales (Orcas): Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family. They require a significant amount of food each day. In Canada, most killer whales mainly eat different types of fish. However, other killer whales feed on sea mammals like sea lions, other dolphins, and smaller whale species. The type of animals killer whales hunt often depends on the hunting techniques they learn from older pod members. There is also evidence that killer whales attack birds.
Diet of Dolphins in Captivity
What Dolphins Eat
The availability of fish mainly determines the diet of dolphins in captivity. Most dolphin facilities provide the dolphins with fresh fish found in local fisheries or the fish market. They can import fish from other places if these sources are unavailable.
Some aquariums even breed their fish specifically for the dolphins to eat. This ensures that they always have a fresh supply of fish.
Other Foods Dolphins Like
In addition to fish, dolphins also enjoy eating squid, shrimp, and other shellfish. These types of food are widely available in captivity.
Trainers’ Preferred Food
Trainers often choose smelt as the best option for dolphins. Smelt are small enough for dolphins to swallow whole, so there is no need to cut them into smaller pieces. Dolphins also really enjoy eating smelt
How much food does a dolphin eat?
On average, a dolphin that weighs between 400 and 500 pounds needs to eat 25 to 50 pounds of fish. This amounts to roughly 5% of its body weight per day! When you think about it, a large quantity of fish and other marine animals for a single dolphin to consume daily.
The amount of food dolphins need also depends on the fat in the fish. Mackerel and herring are high in fat, so dolphins need to eat more squid, which has less fat, to stay energised.
How do wild dolphins find and catch their food?
Dolphins work together in groups or hunt alone to find their food. They use different techniques to catch fish, such as herding, corraling, stunning, and echolocation hunting.
Herding
When dolphins hunt in a group, they surround a school of fish. They try to make the fish group into a smaller area. Once the fish group is smaller, the dolphins take turns catching and eating the fish. This method helps them catch their food more efficiently.
Corraling
Dolphins find catching fish in shallow water easier because there is less space for the fish to swim away. When a dolphin is alone, it uses a technique called corraling. They push the fish into the shallow water, where they cannot escape. This is a unique way for dolphins to catch fish by themselves.
Stunning
Sometimes, dolphins hit their prey with their tails. This confuses or stuns the fish, making it easier for the dolphins to catch them. Dolphins mostly use this technique when hunting marine animals that are much bigger than them.
Echolocation
Dolphins use sound waves to find out where the fish are hiding. This is called echolocation. They send the sound waves and listen for the echoes that bounce back. With echolocation, dolphins can find exactly where the fish are hiding. Dolphins use this technique not only to communicate with each other but also to hunt for their food.
Key Point
While the main diet of dolphins consists of squid, fish, jellyfish, shrimp, and octopus, they are also known to consume various other aquatic animals. The actual composition of their diet can vary depending on the species, location, and availability of food sources.
