How to See Dolphins Strand Feeding
The animal kingdom never ceases to amaze us with its astonishing displays of intelligence and adaptability. Among these incredible creatures, dolphins stand out as masters of the seas, captivating us with their remarkable behaviors. One such behavior that leaves scientists and nature enthusiasts in awe is the phenomenon known as "strand feeding."
What is Strand Feeding? Strand feeding refers to a unique feeding technique observed primarily in certain dolphin populations, notably in South Carolina's coastal regions. This behavior involves a group of dolphins working together to herd schools of fish towards the shore. Once the prey is sufficiently concentrated, the dolphins launch themselves onto the exposed sand or mud banks, momentarily stranding themselves. They then swiftly snatch up their prey before sliding back into the water.
While strand feeding is a relatively rare dolphin behavior to observe, you can greatly increase your chances with the following recommendations:
Rising Tide: The best time to look for strand feeding is during the rising tide. Dolphins know the tides well and typically reserve this feeding technique for when the tide is rising. I assume this is for safety reasons. Strand feeding can be observed on falling tides too but it my experience it is much less common.
Exposed Muddy Banks: Dolphins favorite place to strand feed is on exposed muddy banks. Here in Beaufort, SC our tidal fluctuation from low to high averages 8.5 feet. When the tide is at its lower stages it exposes numerous muddy banks that create the perfect place for dolphins to slide on and off of. There are a few pods of dolphins that will strand feed on sand beaches but most dolphins prefer to strand feed on mud.
Look in Midsize Channels/Creeks (with lots of mud banks): One of the biggest reasons dolphins are not observed strand feeding very often is because their favorite mud banks to strand feed on are often in small to medium size tidal creeks. With thousands and thousands of miles of winding creeks in the Lowcountry it can be hard to find which creek the dolphins are feeding in on any given day.
Finding Dolphins: Dolphins go all over the place so you just have to explore our inshore waters to find them. Fortunately, we have a large population of dolphins and they regularly come to the surface to breath so this task usually isn’t usually very difficult. The key is finding them in places and at times described above.
Signs of Strand Feeding: While looking for dolphins in creeks you may notice fresh slide marks in the mud banks indicating that there may be dolphins stand feeding near by. Seagulls, herons, and egrets behaving excitedly along a bank or back in the marsh can often give away dolphins strand feeding. These birds will drop right in as the dolphins push fish onto a bank to get in on the buffet.
Whenever you are observing dolphins be sure to observe them from a distance. If they come near your boat keep it still. Don’t make any sudden movements with your boat that may startle the dolphins and put them in danger. Never feed dolphins. Not only is feeding dolphins illegal but they have plenty of natural food and giving them handouts encourages them to beg for food as opposed hunting for their food.
It might take some time to observe your first stand feeding event but in the process you are sure to see and experience so many amazing things in our wild South Carolina salt marsh ecosystem!