Unsung Heros: Dolphins Protect New Zealand Swimmers from Shark
SophieL
Reddit user u/Tankiyaiba posted:
“TIL a pod of dolphins saved a group of swimmers from a great white shark by herding the swimmers together and doing tight circles around them to create a barrier. The dolphins kept this up for 40 minutes until the shark lost interest and was safe for the swimmers to swim to shore.”
The New Zealand story was featured in The Guardian, which praised the dolphins for their altruistic act. Ingrid Visser of Orca Research, an environmental group, said the dolphins’ behavior was understandable, as they attack sharks to protect themselves and their young. “They could have sensed the danger to the swimmers, and taken action to protect them,” she said.