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Thousands of dolphins put on an incredible show off the coast of Dana Point in Southern California and video footage of the scene has people in awe.
Entranced visitors and marine enthusiasts saw a pod of about 5,000 dolphins swimming together, USA Today reported on Thursday, noting the phenomenon is called a “dolphin stampede.”
The clip shows the dolphins gracefully leaping out of the choppy water along the coastline and diving back in:
Social media users were quick to share their thoughts on the amazing video, one person writing, “Every time I’m on a boat off Dana Point we see big schools, lots of dolphins of various species. It’s pretty cool!”
“Went through one of these on Catalina ferry. Wonderful!” another user said.
Capt. Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari said Dana Point has been known as the dolphin and whale watching capital of the world since 2019.
“When they explained the criteria, I said we’re the perfect location,” the company’s Gisele Anderson said. “We have history, education, saving of animals. We’re really excited because now Dana Point has set the bar.”
In 2021, a similar instance happened at Newport Beach when people on a whale watching boat got to see a “dolphin stampede,” ABC 7 reported at the time.
Video footage shows the pod, which consisted of about 400 dolphins, swimming alongside the boat as those on board watched with fascination:
According to the Visit Laguna Beach website, dolphins are friendly, social creatures that travel in pods and frequently get close to boats.
“Perhaps one of the most breathtaking scenes to experience on the water is a dolphin stampede,” the website says. “This occurs when hundreds, even thousands of dolphins suddenly begin leaping in and out of the water at an astonishing speed in one direction, as if they are sprinting towards or away from something.”
The site says that why dolphins stampede is still a mystery, adding, “The leaping behavior is referred to as ‘porpoising’ and it allows the dolphins to travel at their fastest speed, as there is less resistance through air than through water.”