Dolphins are not afraid of sharks. Who will be faster at the finish line - a dolphin or a shark? masters of the deep sea

It has long been known that sharks prefer to avoid the company of dolphins. They swim away, barely seeing a flock of bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins, and try not to. At the same time, half-decomposed corpses of dolphins were repeatedly found in the stomachs of the caught sharks.

What is the secret? And are the toothy queens of the seas really afraid of the good-natured cetaceans? Let's try to figure it out.

Lines of behavior of sharks and dolphins

Sharks are generally cautious and cautious creatures. Perhaps it is thanks to these qualities that their evolution continues for millions of years, providing them with a place at the top of the food chain.

However, sharks are solitary predators. It is extremely rare that they gather in small groups, and even then, only in the mating season, in order to then immediately leave.

Dolphins, unlike their reclusive neighbors, travel the ocean in close-knit groups, closely maintaining family ties. They take care of old or weak individuals and, most importantly, hunt and defend together.

This does not mean that, having seen a predatory open mouth in the distance, dolphins immediately rush to kill their rival. On the contrary, it is the sharks that usually initiate the attacks.

Watch video - Shark attacked a dolphin:

As a rule, the queen of the seas tracks the weakest member of the pack for a long time, waits until he is a little behind the rest and then attacks. Quite often, she succeeds in hunting, and a well-fed fish, contented, swims away.

A completely different scenario is if the dolphins notice the offender. Then it is the turn of the power of the collective mind. The flock surrounds the shark and beats it in the body with powerful beaks. Moreover, the dolphin acts with acceleration and meaningfully aims at the most vulnerable place - which is similar to a blow to the solar plexus in humans.

Watch video - Dolphins attack the shark:

Together, dolphins can easily kill a bloodthirsty predator. In addition, white-bellied mammals, with an equal mass with sharks, are more maneuverable and more powerful in side collisions. Coordinated group actions help dolphins to win in skirmishes with a shark.

Why are sharks afraid of killer whales?

Separately, it is worth mentioning the species of killer whales. These monstrous predators can even use great white sharks as an addition to their menu. However, it should be noted that killer whales usually do not attack first, but only attack sharks when they try to capture their cubs or weakened members of the pack.

So, near the Farallon Islands, they even managed to get footage of a fierce fight between a large white killer whale and a killer whale (read the article), which ended in an unconditional victory for the latter.

In addition to the fact that killer whales attack in groups, they also got the hang of bringing sharks into a state of tonic immobility, in fact, long-term convulsive muscle contraction. Killer whales hit the sides of the shark with their snout, turning it upside down.

Watch video - Killer whales against sharks:

In this position, the bloodthirsty predator seems to be paralyzed for a while, the sharks become completely helpless. The same method, by the way, is also demonstrated by divers, when, sharply twisting the shark by the tail and bringing it into a state of paralysis, they fearlessly put their hands into the gaping mouths. With only one difference - killer whales usually finish off their offenders.

Are sharks afraid of dolphins?

Thus, sharks become victims of dolphins only through their own negligence and with the condition that the flock is full of adults. Usually, smart blue ocean patrolmen simply avoid the company of dolphins. Not afraid, no.

Sharks clearly calculate their own strength, but they are also familiar with group attacks of cetaceans. That is why they prefer to hunt down the victim for a long time, slowly repelling it from the family, so as not to face the justified aggression of the pack.

Be more careful to win again and again and proudly bear the name of the rulers of the oceans.

Watch video - Why sharks are afraid of dolphins:

The question "why are sharks afraid of dolphins" sounds incorrect. The relationship of these animals is actually much more complicated than it seems at first glance.

Are sharks afraid of dolphins?

The only answer is no, they are not afraid, but rather, they show reasonable caution.. Skirmishes between them are rare, as they surf the water in flocks, and sharks, who know how to calculate their strength and predict the consequences, avoid large gatherings of dolphins. A shark can become a victim of toothed whales (which include all dolphins) only by making a mistake and approaching a flock where there are many adults.

Do sharks attack dolphins

Almost all sharks are individualists, occasionally supporting companies (during mating seasons, on vacation or in areas of food abundance). Half-decomposed remains of dolphins have been found in shark stomachs more than once. As a rule, the weakest members of the pack or inexperienced young animals fighting off from it fall into the teeth of predators.

It is interesting! Despite their innate discretion, sharks will not miss the opportunity to accompany a pod of dolphins, and not only in the hope of hunting the sickest or youngest dolphin: sharks eat up the remains of a dolphin feast with pleasure.

A shark very often becomes the initiator of an attack if it sees that the object of its gastronomic interest has sailed away from its comrades and is unable to resist. So, a mother easily overcomes a lone dolphin, especially one that has not gained an impressive mass and size. Eyewitnesses told how a pack of medium-sized sharks managed to kill even an adult killer whale that had lagged behind its native flock.

Why do dolphins attack sharks

Dolphins, as typical social animals, do not just swim together: together they support old, weakened and growing relatives, hunt in groups or repel enemy onslaught.

Toothed whales are classified as food competitors of sharks, which is a good reason for the former to attack the latter. In addition, dolphins strike pre-emptively when sharks circle suspiciously close (watching for babies or sick ones).

In a fight with a predator, dolphins are helped by factors such as:

excellent maneuverability;
good speed;
strong skull (frontal part);
collectivism.

Having united, dolphins easily deal with a huge white shark: they inflict pointed blows with their heads on the belly (internal organs) and gills. To reach the goal, the dolphin accelerates and hits the most vulnerable zone, the gill slits. It's like being punched in the solar plexus.

It is interesting! Dolphins are not able to suppress sharks in mass, but in side collisions they surpass them in power and agility. But the most formidable weapon of dolphins is collectivism, supplemented by a developed intellect.

killer whale vs shark

The big killer whale, the most impressive representative of the dolphins, is what toothy predators should really be afraid of. Even the largest shark will never grow to the size of a killer whale, the males of which reach up to 10 meters and weigh 7.5 tons.

In addition, the wide mouth of the killer whale is littered with huge teeth, slightly inferior to sharks in terms of efficiency and size. But then this dolphin has a brain, which is sometimes more important than sharp teeth.

The shark is one of the natural enemies of killer whales not only because of the coincidence of food preferences, but also because it itself is a tempting commercial object. In the stomachs of killer whales, in addition to penguins, dolphins and large fish, sharks are often found.

Of course, sharks swim and maneuver faster, but the slower (30 km / h) and not very agile killer whale is a living ram, ending with an almost impenetrable skull.

It is interesting! Killer whales, like all dolphins, attack in concert, using a favorite technique: blows with a snout to the sides to turn the shark upside down. In this position, she briefly falls into paralysis and becomes completely helpless.

In general, a large group of killer whales easily overcomes a shark and even a multi-ton whale, subsequently tearing it apart. There is also footage of a one-on-one battle, when a great white shark and a killer whale fought near the Farallon Islands. The dolphin is the winner.

Dolphins, sharks and humans

Everyone knows that dolphins often save people who find themselves in the middle of the ocean, including from bloodthirsty sharks. This behavior of cetaceans was explained by an increased sense of collectivism: supposedly, they take the unfortunate one for one of the members of the flock and try to help him.

In 1966, Egyptian fisherman Mahmoud Wali was caught in a raging storm in the middle of the Suez Canal (near Cairo). The fishing boat sank and Mahmoud was left on an air mattress, surrounded on all sides by water and hungry sharks.

It is unlikely that the fisherman would have reached the shore alive, if not for the flock of dolphins that came to his aid. They took the poor fellow in a tight ring and began to push the mattress to the shore, preventing the sharks from approaching. The transfer was successful and Mahmoud Vali got out of the adventure unharmed.

It is interesting! Another characteristic case occurred in 2004 off the northern coast of New Zealand, or rather, not far from Whangarey Island. It was here that Rob Hughes, a beach rescue worker, and his colleagues and daughter Nikki worked out ways to save people on the water.

Suddenly, the divers were surrounded by dolphins, leaving no way for people to escape from the ring. The rescuers were not just perplexed, they were frightened, because they did not understand what caused the unexpected captivity.

Everything was explained when Hughes was released from captivity - next to them was loitering, whose sinister intentions were quite clear. Hughes later said that he was almost paralyzed with fear at the sight of a toothy muzzle at a distance of several meters. The dolphins did not leave the rescuers for about an hour until they got to a safe place.

The shark is the oldest predator that appeared about 500 million years ago. She is called "the bloodthirsty mistress of the seas", "the floating machine of death".

The bite force of individual individuals can reach 3 tons per 1 sq. cm, it can have up to 400 teeth in several rows, their size reaches 5 cm. Its sense organs are equipped with 13 (!) Perception systems. Some species of sharks are capable of speeds up to 50 km/h. Nature seemed to have specially created her as an ideal hunter and killer.

Dolphins are considered cute and friendly mammals. Is it true that sharks are afraid of dolphins? It's hard to believe, but sea predators really try to avoid too close contact with a flock of these harmless creatures.

What is the reason for the enmity between dolphins and sharks?

Dolphins are not the main food of sharks and the latter rarely prey on adult healthy cetaceans. But because of their omnivorous nature, they do not refuse what seems to be available. Their prey is small dolphins, injured or weakened older individuals, clumsy pregnant females.

The victim is watched in advance and accompanied by a huntress for a long time, until she finally fights off the pack. Gaping and lagging behind the team, such "weak links" easily become the prey of a voracious killer. But in cases where dolphins notice aggression towards any relative, they begin protection immediately.

They attack in an organized, ruthless and always successful manner. In this case, the shark rarely manages to survive. Researchers and fishermen-observers have repeatedly confirmed the fact of the destruction of the shark by a flock of dolphins. It is also true that peaceful cetaceans never attack first, the reason is always aggression from a predator.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the opponents?

Behavior and way of life

How do dolphins manage not only to stop the attack, but also to destroy the enemy? The reality is that the storm of the seas, like all living things, has its weaknesses, and dolphins are far from being as harmless as it seems.

Sharks are experienced and cautious hunters, but prefer a solitary lifestyle. Flocks gather extremely rarely, as a rule, for the period of mating games. After they scatter, each in search of its prey.

Dolphins are social animals, live in flock families, care for and protect each other, helping and supporting the weaker ones. They hunt and defend together. In the battle with the shark, their quantitative advantage plays an important role.

Battle tactics

The shark almost always attacks according to the same scenario: it begins to cut circles around a potential victim, gradually approaching it.

Dolphins, on the other hand, during the defense act harmoniously and together, using various tactics in the fight:

Gaining speed, dolphins rise sharply vertically from below and incessantly ram the belly of the predator - one of the weakest places for sharks. Damage to internal organs makes the enemy almost unviable.
According to researchers, most often dolphins with great force and speed push and beat her with their beaks, aiming without fail at the gill slits, the most vulnerable spot. Such an impact is akin to a blow to the solar plexus in humans.
With their powerful blows, dolphins damage the shark's eyes, break its fins, and may well break the backbone of a fish.
Killer whales, for example, can bring the enemy into a state of tonic immobility: they strike the shark's sides with their snout, causing a prolonged muscle spasm. Paralyzed, they turn her belly up and finish her off.
There are also observations that dolphins pushed the predator into the air and kept it in this position until it died from lack of oxygen.

Infrequently, a shark manages to stay alive after such fights. If she manages to avoid death in battle, wounded, she will become a victim of her own relatives.

The power of intelligence

The weakness of sharks in a lower stage of development and a solitary lifestyle. A shark is a fish, belongs to the order of chordates, is guided by instincts and reflexes.

Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals. Their main weapon is intellect. It is thanks to their intelligence that they choose the weaknesses of the enemy and understand the effectiveness of the collective way of life and defense.

They are able to accumulate experience and pass it on from generation to generation. Moreover, some scientists and animal rights activists are so confident in the exceptional intelligence and consciousness of dolphins that they suggest calling them "non-human personalities."

There are many known cases of saving people by dolphins. There is at least one documented case where they rescued bathers from a great white shark. The cetaceans surrounded the people in a tight ring and did not let them out of it for about an hour until the whole group landed on the shore.

The man, who had previously managed to escape from this caring environment, found a white shark ready to attack nearby.

Can a dolphin single-handedly defeat a shark?

The bravery of dolphins is legendary. Sometimes they have to engage in battle with a dangerous enemy and one on one. In this case, the dolphin accelerates at high speed and crashes into the shark with its beak and powerful frontal part.

Some argue that the impact of these brave cetaceans is so strong that even one individual can cause serious, even fatal injuries to the shark. But most researchers are sure that a dolphin alone is unlikely to cope with a predator, the shark has a more powerful jaw apparatus and more other anatomical advantages in such a fight.

Exceptions are killer whales. With approximately equal physical data, the killer whale wins with its intelligence, the ability to think through attack tactics.

Video: why sharks should be afraid of dolphins?

The dolphin and the shark are two marine creatures that, for various reasons, have had a significant impact on human activities. At the same time, a dolphin is considered almost a relative of a person, a very friendly animal, and a shark is such a bloodthirsty monster, I must say that some types of sharks are really dangerous.
Dolphin
Dolphin - is a member of the suborder of toothed whales (Odontoceti) of the order of cetaceans of the mammal class.
Dolphins are characterized by the presence in both jaws of a fairly significant number of homogeneous conical teeth, both nasal openings are usually connected into one transverse crescent-shaped opening at the top of the skull. The head is relatively small, often with a pointed muzzle, the body is elongated, there is a dorsal fin. Very mobile and dexterous, gluttonous predators, living mainly socially, are found in all seas, even rise high into rivers, feed mainly on fish, mollusks, crustaceans; sometimes they attack their relatives. They are also distinguished by curiosity and traditionally a good attitude towards a person.
In some dolphins, the mouth is extended forward in the form of a beak; in others, the head is rounded in front, without a beak-shaped mouth.
Dolphins are exceptionally fast swimmers, and pods of dolphins often follow ships, using, in addition to the "Gray paradox" described below, the ship's wake to accelerate even more. The dolphin has been loved and popular since antiquity: there are many poetic legends and beliefs (the legend of Arion) about dolphins and their sculptural images.
The brain size of dolphins in relation to their body size is much larger than that of chimpanzees, and their behavior indicates a high degree of mental development. The brain of an adult dolphin weighs about 1700 grams, while that of a human weighs 1400. A dolphin has twice as many convolutions in the cerebral cortex as a human.
According to the latest scientific data from cognitive ethology and zoopsychology, dolphins not only have a "vocabulary" of up to 14,000 sound signals that allows them to communicate with each other, but also have self-awareness, "social consciousness" (social cognition) and emotional empathy, a willingness to help newborns and sick, pushing them to the surface of the water.

Despite their peacefulness towards humans, dolphins are quite bloodthirsty predators, for example, the “relative” of dolphins, killer whale, is nicknamed “killer whale”, however, dolphins do not attack people, but people attack dolphins (as well as other animals) .
Shark
Shark - is included in the superorder of cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes), belonging to the subclass of elasmobranchii (Elasmobranchii) and has the following distinctive features: an elongated body of a more or less torpedo-shaped shape, a large heterocercal caudal fin, usually a large number of sharp teeth on each jaw.
To date, more than 450 species of sharks are known: from the deep-sea shallow Etmopterus perryi, only 17 centimeters long, to the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) - the largest fish (its length reaches 20 meters). Representatives of the superorder are widely distributed in the seas and oceans, from the surface to a depth of more than 2000 meters. They mostly live in sea water, but some species can also live in fresh water.
The largest recorded depth of habitat belongs to the Portuguese shark - 3700 m
Most sharks are so-called real predators, but 3 species - whale, giant and large-mouthed sharks - filter feeders, they feed on plankton, squid and small fish.
The skeleton of a shark differs markedly from the skeleton of bony fish - there are no bones in it, and it is completely formed from cartilaginous tissues.
Shark scales are rhombic plates that end with a spike protruding from the skin. In terms of structure and strength, the scales are close to teeth, which gives reason to call it skin denticles. These teeth have a wide base, a flattened shape and a very prominently outlined crown. For the most part, the crowns are very sharp and close together, so the skin can appear relatively smooth when you run your hand from head to tail, and vice versa - rough, like sandpaper - when you run it in the opposite direction. The combination of the shape, location and composition of the skin denticles plays a significant role in the streamlining of the shark's body. For example, the prominent ridges on these teeth on the great white shark create a hydrodynamic effect comparable to the aerodynamic effect seen when a golf ball moves.
The teeth of most sharks are in the form of sharp cones and sit on the cartilage of the upper and lower jaws. Teeth are regularly replaced as they fall out according to the conveyor principle - their replacement is constantly growing from the inside. According to their structure and origin, these are modified placoid scales. Depending on the diet and lifestyle, teeth and jaws vary greatly between shark species. Bottom sharks, whose food is usually protected by a hard shell, have crushing teeth - flat with a ribbed surface (raznotooth shark). Many carnivorous species have long, sharp teeth adapted to easily penetrate the flesh of their prey (such as sand sharks). Sharks such as tiger sharks have wide and serrated teeth - designed to cut and tear the meat of a large prey. Plankton-eating sharks have small teeth (about 3-5 mm in a whale shark).
Sharks don't have a swim bladder. Instead, a huge liver, cartilaginous skeleton and fins help them compensate for negative buoyancy. A decrease in the specific weight of the body is achieved due to the accumulation in the liver of squalene bicarbonate with a specific gravity of 0.86 g/cm³, as well as cartilage density approximately half that of bone density. Many sharks are also characterized by neutral buoyancy due to watering of the skeleton. The rest is compensated by the lifting force that occurs during movement.
The sense of smell in sharks is one of the main sensory systems. Experiments have shown the high sensitivity of sharks to odors. The olfactory organs are represented by nostrils - small sacs on the muzzle that pass water to the olfactory receptors. The sense of smell is involved in the search for prey and partners for reproduction. The great white shark uses 14% of its brain to process olfactory information. The sense of smell is especially well developed in hammerhead sharks - the nostrils spaced at a decent distance from each other on the head of a peculiar shape make it possible to more clearly determine the position of the source of the smell. Studies have shown that sharks respond better to the scents of injured or disturbed prey.
The fetus of a shark develops in the uterus and is born well adapted to independent life - in newborn sharks, the musculoskeletal system, digestive system and sensory organs are well developed, which allows them to feed on their own and quickly build up mass. Sharks give birth to a different number of cubs - some species up to 100, while others only two or three. The white shark gives birth to approximately 3-14 sharks at a time.
Contrary to popular belief that the shark is just a "hunting machine" driven by instinct alone, recent research has shown the ability of some species to solve problems, social behavior and curiosity. The brain-to-body mass ratio in sharks is roughly equivalent to that in birds and mammals.
In 1987, off the coast of South Africa, a group of seven white sharks worked together to drag a half-stranded dead whale to a deeper place for a meal.
Sharks can also display playful behavior. For example, the Atlantic herring shark has been repeatedly observed chasing another individual with a piece of algae in its teeth.
Contrary to popular belief, only a few species of sharks are dangerous to humans. Of all the species, only four are seen in a significant number of unprovoked fatal attacks on humans: white, tiger, blunt, and long-winged sharks.
Cases of unprovoked attacks and other types are known, but they rarely ended in the death of a person. These are mako shark, hammerhead fish, Galapagos, dark gray, lemon, silky, blue sharks. These sharks are large and powerful predators that may be attacked simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, they are considered less dangerous for swimmers and divers. The remaining several species also attack humans annually, inflicting potentially life-threatening wounds. But such cases are either due to deliberate provocation, or due to mistaken identification by a shark due to the state of the water, etc.
Sharks pose the greatest danger to swimmers near the surface of the water, and there are still no effective ways to scare away sharks. The shark feels the fear of the victim, and also becomes more dangerous when provoking it into defensive actions. But the attack usually does not begin immediately - at first the shark studies the person, swimming around, and then it may disappear and suddenly appear.
Modern literature, cinema and the media have created and successfully use the image of a shark as a bloodthirsty ruthless beast, forgetting to convey the information that the shark is primarily a marine predator that plays a huge role in the entire marine ecosystem. Therefore, many organizations involved in the protection and protection of sharks set themselves the main goal of conveying to society more complete information about sharks and their place in nature.

Common between a dolphin and a shark:

They live in water, usually in the sea.
Both predators.
Both are at the top of the food chain.
Both the shark and the dolphin have had a marked impact on human culture.

Differences between dolphin and shark:

The main difference is that a dolphin is a mammal and a shark is a fish.
Dolphins have a more developed central nervous system, more complex behavior than sharks.
Sharks can be either solitary or gregarious, while dolphins tend to live in groups.
Dolphins are capable of faster speeds than sharks.
The ancestors of dolphins lived on land, then returned to the water.
Dolphins can be trained, sharks cannot.
Some types of sharks are deadly to humans.
Sharks avoid dolphins as they are a danger to them.

More than one book is devoted to the reasons for the dislike of cats to dogs. Sayings are composed about this, fairy tales are composed and cartoons are made. But the inhabitants of the land undeservedly ignored the mystery of why sharks are afraid of dolphins. This fact has been known since antiquity, but the true cause of the confrontation is a controversial topic.

What are the Selahii afraid of?

The owners of the most chic grin in all sea waters are recognized by human rumor as the most terrible fish. According to popular belief, this type of cartilage is completely devoid of a sense of fear due to the specific structure of the nervous system.

So, the list of the most serious threats to sharks is:

Killer whales are giant carnivorous toothed whales, reaching ten meters in length and weighing about eight tons. Their gigantic teeth (up to 15 cm) can tear even the largest prey;
other members of the family. So, white sharks are in a strained relationship with their relative - the Brazilian luminous shark. The latter has the peculiarity of attacking the victim, tearing out a piece of meat from her;
Dead relatives terrify the selachi no less than living toothed whales. Observations of scientists have shown that these predators soon leave the place where they smelled their own blood;
Petra's algae is also not to the liking of these cartilaginous ones due to its extremely unpleasant odor and severe chemical burns;
Predators prefer not to approach groups of people, even in a state of hunger. But a loner who swam into deep waters should seriously fear for his life.

Who is stronger: a dolphin or a shark?

Both representatives of wildlife are distinguished by high speed of movement, good hydrodynamic characteristics and agility. However, this is where the similarities practically end. Often selachia meet death due to the fault of swimming mammals. Let's look at the reasons why dolphins can be stronger than their toothy competitors:

They have high brain activity on their side. On average, the dolphin brain weighs 200-300 grams more than that of a human. This turns its owner into a very cunning and dangerous opponent;
They prefer to move around the expanses of the oceans in flocks. Cartilaginous, on the contrary, are predatory and vicious loners who can easily be defeated by a team of adults;
A complex sound language and echolocation sensitivity improve the ability to navigate in the water.

Cases of conflict between them are rather few and are explained more by chance. Both of them understand that the probability of a clear victory in a one-on-one fight is extremely small, and the instinct of self-preservation prevails.

Selachian Attack Scheme

Hostile actions of representatives of these species against each other can only be assumed, since there is not a sufficient amount of observations of this phenomenon.

If you try to theoretically simulate a duel, then the behavior of sharks will look like this:

Most often, a predator decides to attack only when a great opportunity presents itself for this. The weakest member of the team or cub becomes its victim;
They prefer to stay on top or behind their opponent so as not to be detected by echolocation;
Fearing a one-on-one fight, selachia waits in the wings from an ambush and attacks at the most unexpected moment;
After waiting for time, she pounces on the victim with lightning speed;
They aim, as a rule, at the middle part of the animal, wanting to break it in half. For this, the tactics of attacking from below and quickly surfacing upwards with a piece of the prey's body are used;
Another technique used by owners of large teeth is a demonstration of a wide-open jaw. It usually impresses small and medium sized ocean dwellers.

Responsiveness

Possession of high intelligence turns a swimming mammal into a very serious opponent, which by no means can be called easy prey:

A favorite tactic of dolphins is to surround the prey and slaughter it with their strong, stick-like noses;
Animals do not choose the place of blows by chance: the gill slits are the target, which are the same pain point in fish as the solar plexus in humans;
In addition to serious pain, the fish loses access to oxygen, which is why its fighting ardor is rapidly waning;
Beluga whales and killer whales have learned to act with their snouts so deftly that they turn the enemy upside down. As a result, for 2-3 minutes the shark loses the ability to move;
The intelligence of swimming mammals helps them use the surrounding landscape to their advantage for sophisticated distraction maneuvers;
There are cases when a group of animals pushed a predator out of the water and held it until it suffocated.

Do sharks eat dolphins?

The diet of these giant fish depends on the specific species:

Selahii prefer to hunt within a certain area and get along with their fellow tribesmen with great displeasure. If the main food source dries up, the fish quickly switches to another due to omnivory;
Living at a depth of up to a couple of hundred meters never lack food: this layer of the ocean is saturated with pinniped mammals, small fish, molluscs and crustaceans;
Most often, a schooling sea fish becomes their victim: a predator drives a horde into a heap and captures it in one big gulp;
Some representatives of the shark genus prefer to feed exclusively on plankton. Such species are practically devoid of teeth and resemble whales;
Dolphins can be a very tasty morsel for predators due to their abundant adipose tissue. However, in most cases, mammals act as companions of large fish, eating small prey with it. The deterrent factor is the large number of dolphin flocks.

Intelligence, combined with the help of Kindred, can work wonders. Even the strongest teeth cannot oppose anything to agility and cunning. That is why sharks are afraid of dolphins and prefer to bypass the family of these brainy inhabitants of the deep.