Who Wins in the Daily Battle for Survival?
This is an event I’ve never witnessed or even knew could happen. There were several dolphins and one pelican chasing fish in the same area along an intercoastal harbor in Florida. Both sides were in hot pursuit of the same prey which led the dolphins to go after the pelican causing him to jump up in the air many times only to land in the water close to the dolphins and chasing them away. This went up and down, on and on, for several minutes as they swam and flew all around the harbor in serious pursuit of a meal.
It was amazing, as well as dizzying, to watch, and also difficult to capture, as both bird and dolphins moved so quickly and in all directions that I never knew if I would be able to capture what was really happening. The dolphins were relentless and the pelican, although outnumbered, was fearless.
It would seem that the dolphins would have the advantage being underwater and closer to the fish, but the pelican was up to the challenge. After all, nature is about survival of the fittest, and if you don’t eat, you don’t survive.
This battle continued for quite some time. I can’t tell you who won. I can only tell you who lost – the fish!
A lone brown pelican battles with several dolphins for fish along the intercoastal waterway in Florida.
Click on photos below to see larger images.
Dolphin is seen near water’s surface
(in left front).Pelicans’ wingspan is 6.5 ft . Two dolphins swim close to pelican Part of the dolphin is seen in the spray. Keeping close watch on the competition Pelicans can spot fish from high as 60 ft. in the air. Pelicans are strong swimmers & masterful flyers. Pelicans eat up to 4 lbs. of food daily. Pelicans usually hunt during the day.
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