The Battle for Survival: The Epic Sardine Run

🐟Sardines gather off the southern tip of Africa in extraordinary numbers, attracting a chain of predators.

🌊Cape gannets heavily rely on the sardines to survive and form massive breeding colonies.

🐬Bottlenose dolphins team up with gannets, using each other's hunting strategies to feed more effectively.

🦈Sharks join the hunting frenzy, preying on the sardines and creating an intense competition for food.

🌬️Winds and temperature inversions play a crucial role in the gannets' ability to take flight and hunt for food.

Why do sardines gather off the southern tip of Africa?

—Sardines prefer cooler temperatures, typically below 21 degrees Centigrade, which they find off the southern coast of Africa.

How do Cape gannets depend on the sardines?

—Cape gannets heavily rely on the abundance of sardines to survive. They require a steady supply of sardines to feed their chicks and sustain their breeding colonies.

What are the key predators in the sardine run?

—The key predators in the sardine run include Cape gannets, bottlenose dolphins, and sharks. They all play a crucial role in the complex food chain surrounding the sardines.

How do gannets and dolphins collaborate in hunting?

—Gannets and dolphins use each other's hunting strategies to feed more effectively. Gannets spot the sardines from the air and dive into the water, while the dolphins round up the fish into tight groups for easier hunting.

What role do winds play in the gannets' hunting ability?

—Winds, especially temperature inversions, are crucial for the gannets' ability to take flight and hunt for food. The movement of air affects their flight dynamics and allows them to cover large distances in search of sardines.

00:04For millennia, storms have pounded the southern tip of Africa, attracting sardines in enormous numbers.

00:21Cape gannets heavily rely on the sardines to survive and depend on the abundance of sardines to feed their chicks.

05:23The west coast sardine population is being wiped out by human activities, leading to devastating impacts on the ecosystem.

12:14Bottlenose dolphins join the hunting frenzy, teaming up with gannets to hunt more effectively.

14:35Sharks also join the competition for food, preying on the sardines and intensifying the hunting frenzy.

16:21The gannets of Bird Island take to the air in droves, following the sardines up the coast.

19:35As the sardines move along the east coast, the gannets and other predators follow them to continue hunting.

20:05Winds and temperature inversions play a crucial role in the gannets' ability to take flight and hunt for food.