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Dolphin ‘stampede’ dazzles whale watchers

Sunday, 13 March 2016 4:07 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 13 March 2016 4:06 PM ]

A 'dolphin stampede' shows what happens when hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dolphins decide as a group to rush wildly across the ocean’s surface, as if in a panic.

Hundreds of dolphins began "stampeding," or charging, through the water to the delight of whale watchers, giving them a once in a lifetime show.

The catamaran tour was sitting off Dana Point in Orange County, which is known as one of the best vantage points in the US for spotting dolphins. The group were treated to a 'dolphin stampede', which is when hundreds - sometimes thousands - of dolphins rush across the ocean’s surface, as if in a panic

According to a video of the event that was posted to YouTube: 'This breathtaking behavior can happen at any time and without any apparent cause,' the post stated. According to the post, 'porpoising is the fastest mode of travel for dolphins because there is less resistance in air than water.'

The footage was captured on a whale watching tour boat operated by Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Safari in Dana Point, Orange County.

Southern California has the greatest density of dolphins per square mile than anywhere else on earth. The company's owner Dave Anderson has told reporters that dolphin stampedes are one of the most amazing things he’s seen in 20 years of whale watching.The company said the species spotted in the video is the common dolphin, and there are nearly 450,000 in Southern California.

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