Mine-hunting dolphins filmed hunting and eating venomous sea snakes

Unique footage from US Navy sea mammals captures bursts of sonar clicks and victory squeals after grabbing meal

Damian Carrington Environment editor
@dpcarrington
Wed 17 Aug 2022 14.00 EDT

Video cameras attached to mine-hunting US Navy dolphins have filmed them hunting and eating fish and, to the scientists’ surprise, swallowing venomous yellow-bellied sea snakes.

It is the first time video and sound has captured bottlenose dolphins feeding on live fish, from the bursts of sonar clicks used to pinpoint the prey to the victory squeals after grabbing a meal.

The footage showed that dolphins use suction to gulp down their prey, produced by expanding their throats and flaring their lips. Previously, researchers thought the main strategy was to rush at the fish, an approach called ram raiding.

All six of the dolphins studied are based in California and are trained by the navy to locate and mark mines. The animals go out swimming in the open ocean every day.