Why do dolphins like to ride the waves in front of ships?

Dolphins have been seen swimming in front of boats on several occasions, and there have been various explanations for this behavior.

Dolphins are often seen playing or bow riding. According to Bernd Würsig’s Encyclopaedia of Marine Mammals , dolphins have been bow riding since the advent of fast oceangoing vessels, and the Greeks even wrote about the behavior in the Mediterranean. In modern times, bow riding refers to dolphins taking advantage of the pressure waves that form in front of ships.

The bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) is particularly well known for its boat-riding behavior and is probably the most frequently encountered dolphin species on dolphin-watching tours or boat trips. A 2009 study in the journal Aquatic Mammals by Elizabeth Hawkins of Dolphin Research Australia and her colleagues looked at the species and its encounters with boats.

The researchers found that between 2003 and 2006, the vessels in the study encountered 201 groups of dolphins, of which 44 groups interacted with the vessels. They believe that riding waves ahead of the vessels may help dolphins reduce their energy expenditure while swimming, and may also be for fun. Factors such as vessel type, vessel activity, and engine status are likely to influence the activity level and interactions of dolphins with vessels.

In another study presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the European Marine Mammal Society in 2014, scientists found that sea region also influences bow riding. In the Istanbul Strait, for example, dolphins performed this behavior more frequently at the southern entrance. The researchers believe this is because dolphins have better access to fish in this area. They linked bow riding to feeding strategies and activities. However, play may also be a factor.

Dolphins have not only been seen riding waves in front of boats, but have also been seen riding waves in front of basking sharks ( Cetorhinus maximus ). Between 2012 and 2019, experts observed dolphins interacting with basking sharks during six observations off the southwest coast of Ireland, recording 94 rides. While this could be a mutually beneficial feeding strategy, the team believes it is more likely that the dolphins are just playing. The study, published in the journal Aquatic Mammals in 2020, was led by Seán A. O'Callaghan of the Atlantic University of Technology and Nick Massett of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Foundation.

From the research, dolphins may ride the waves ahead of the ship for a variety of reasons, including gaining energy from swimming, accessing favorite feeding grounds, and taking advantage of better hunting opportunities. They may also want to have fun. Dolphins are intelligent, social, and curious creatures. So they may also ride the waves ahead of the ship for fun.

Thu Thao (According to IFL Science )

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