A group doing survey work off the coast of California recently enjoyed an unexpected show, and they shared it on social media for ocean lovers to see.
Monterey Bay Whale Watch, based out of Monterey on the California central coast, said on Facebook that during a recent survey, they came across a “super pod” of more than 2,000 northern right whale dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins. It was such a huge group, they said it was “spread out for miles as far as we could see!”
In the 43-second clip they shared, there’s close range and zoomed out footage showing just how large the group was. Some of the animals can also be seen leaping out of the water amid their friends. The post notes that this was not the first time they’d seen something like this throughout the winter. In January, they also spotted thousands of Risso’s dolphins during a gray whale survey.
The post says, “While super pods like this are rare (especially of NRWD) winter is still the best time of year to have a chance at encountering big pods of Dolphins.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, northern right whale dolphins usually travel in smaller groups of 100 to 200 but have been seen traveling with up to 3,000 other individuals. These interesting animals, which can leap more than 20 feet out of the water, are also the only dolphin in the North Pacific without dorsal fins.
As for Pacific white-sided dolphins, which are known for their distinctive white undersides, NOAA says they usually travel with between 10 and 100 other individuals but can sometimes be seen with thousands of others. They’re also prone to swimming and jumping alongside the bows of ships, which may be playtime in their minds.
Risso’s dolphins, meanwhile, tend to stay further offshore so they can dive into deeper waters, where they can hold their breath for a good half hour. Their typical group sizes are small, but they sometimes associate with other species and can be seen in loose groups numbering in the hundreds.
