Dolphins are carnivorous mammals, primarily feeding on various sea creatures, including fish, mackerel, and herring, as well as invertebrates like squid, octopuses, and jellyfish.
Dolphins are large mammals, with some species weighing up to several hundred pounds. They have a massive diet routine.
This blog lets you explore the eating habits of dolphins. It will also give you insight into the preying methods of dolphins and their various diet plans depending on the sea areas they live in.
Dolphin Diets in Different Species
There are more than 43 dolphin species, categorized based on their habitats such as oceans, rivers, deep waters, and coastal areas.
A study shows that dolphins eat 4-6% of their weight. However, this percentage rises double in nursing dolphins who have given birth to newborns and may reach up to 10% of their body weight.
1. What Do Ocean Dolphins (Bottlenose) Eat?
Bottlenose dolphins are deep-water species. They mostly eat squids and small fish. However, it also depends on what season is running and what areas they belong to.
Dolphins living in tropical areas such as Scotland prefer Salmon fish in the spring season. When summer comes, Salmon fish become more rare. So, their diet is Herrings and Mackerels in the summer season. Dolphins living in other areas prefer local fish food, such as catfish and mullets.
Bottlenose Dolphins come under the broad category of Oceanic dolphins and share the same characteristics as Spine dolphins and Orcas (Giant Killer dolphins).
2. What Do River Dolphins Eat?
The most favored diet of river dolphins is crabs, small fish, and shrimp.
Commerson Dolphins eat crabs, crustaceans, and other small fish.
Dusky Dolphins mostly eat squids and shrimps.
3. What Do Orcas Eat?
The Orcas are known as giant or killer dolphins. They usually prey on large sea animals such as sea lions, whales, dolphins, and sea birds. Orcas have a massive diet plan, and they have to eat a lot frequently. They eat whatever comes in front of them to fulfill their hunger.
Can Dolphins Eat Plants?
As carnivores, dolphins primarily consume a meat-based diet. However, they do eat plants, algae, and seaweed as snacks, and there is almost no rule to meet their protein requirement.
How Dolphins Hunt for Food?
There are certain ways dolphins hunt their prey to make them food. These hunting methods are divided into three main categories which are as follows;
Echolocation
This is a rare technique in aquatic animals in which dolphins emit sound waves generated through special bones under the lower jaw with the help of the ear canal. Eco-localization helps them find and prey on food from a long distance in the water.
Herding
Herding is a common technique exhibited by marine animals in which they surround the prey tightly to the water surface and leave a very narrow escape for them to leave the trap.
Corralling
Caralling is a technique observed by dolphins in which they find an endpoint of a certain corner and herd them. They leave no spot to allow the prey to run and hunt them.
Dolphins Dieting Plan
All dolphin species have different dieting plans. They can eat varied types of food, including small fish, shrimps, crabs, jellyfish, sea animals, and sea birds.
Usually, they are not very hard with their dieting plan and try to adjust themselves according to the aquatic environment down in the water.
Dolphins usually eat 4-6% of their body weight. We can estimate the frequency of meals they take in a day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, dolphins are large mammals. They are carnivorous species and have a diverse dieting plan. They eat fish, crabs, squids, and shrimp. Their diet depends on the regions they belong to and what season are running.
Now, you know what dolphins eat. If you have any queries, do not hesitate to comment below. Read the next blog “Dolphins Bones.”