“Discover the secret side of these sociable, yet aggressive creatures”Known for their boundless grace and playful energy, captive dolphins are always eager to please and perform. Most of us know dolphins as social, intelligent mammals but few of us realise that the behaviour of captive dolphins can be completely different from that of their wild relatives.
In captivity dolphins are known as clever, good-natured and playful creatures but in the wild they have an altogether more aggressive side that is powerful cunning and ruthless…. At home in the open sea, there’s another little-known side to these awe-inspiring mammals.
This beautifully filmed documentary contains wonderful footage of a group of dolphins in the wild, with close-ups of their amorous behaviour, including mating and aggressively pursuing females. Many dolphins are scarred – not surprising as they fight, bite and wound each other regularly.
The scarring and markings on the fins have become useful means of identification for scientists studying a pod of up to 130 wild dolphins in Australia.
Thanks to some brilliant underwater camerawork, we’re treated to the sight of dolphins hydroplaning through 10 inches of water after fish, ramming one another in a quarrel over females, and evading a group of hungry orcas in Alaska. Some of the more graceful scenes include stunning footage of females swimming with their calves, using their sonar to establish a unique bond between them. Another wonderful sight is that of a Sea Eagle catching the fish hunted onto the beach by dolphins.
Dolphins: The Wild Side follows these mammals in the wild as they fight for mating rights, hunt for food, and clash with other dolphin species. This National Geographic ‘Special’ is filmed in locations as varied as the Bahamas, Alaska and Shark Bay in Western Australia. It features bottlenose, spinner and spotted dolphins, but also porpoises, pilot whales and orcas.
See the largest, most fearsome member of the dolphin family, a killer whale, that can travel as fast as 30 miles an hour underwater to capture its next victim. Killer whales are actually closely related to dolphins, but they feel no compunction about feeding on their smaller cousins – watch a pod of orcas hunt harbour porpoises. Not a scene for the squeamish!
We learn that half of all young calves don’t survive beyond their first year, with many being hunted down by older or bigger relatives.
The most impressive part of this documentary consist of the scenes of a dolphin pod working in concert to trap a shimmering, mammoth school of sardines. Through calculated use of air bubbles, tail slaps, and sonic pips, the animals corral their prey and have a feast.
The clever, and at times ruthless, nature of these mammals is on abundant display in this entertaining documentary.
You’ll be amazed to explore the secret side of these sociable yet aggressive creatures.
EXCLUSIVE: This DVD also contains an exclusive, 16 mins long bonus film ‘Legend of the Pink Dolphin’, produced by National Geographic:
“The freshwater dolphins of the Amazon River Basin are intelligent, an unusual grayish-pink colour, central to the culture of the indigenous people, and, unfortunately, the most threatened of all dolphin species.”
Review:
“Found this one of the most interesting and also most beautifully filmed docus on dolphins. You will find out a lot more about these creatures and will be shown their dark side, as well as their 'cuddly' side. Nat Geo have used some of the best footage of dolphin behaviour, including mating, fighting and hunting for food. Some of the filming is incredible and shows the true nature of these mammals. I'm hoping Nat Geo will bring out a follow-up to this.”
No comments:
Post a Comment