Update: Dolphins protect calving whale from sharks?

While a video being shared widely on social media this week claims that a whale and her calf were kept safely out of harm’s way, thanks to an amazing pod of dolphins, an article published online by Getaway in 2021 says the dolphins were in a feeding frenzy.

According to the description of a video posted on YouTube by Cape Town Dhikr four days ago, dolphins appeared out of nowhere to surround and protect a whale from circling sharks while she was giving birth in False Bay, Cape Town. The massive pod of dolphins swam in a circle around the whale until she gave birth, and then escorted mom and baby to safety.

However, Dave Hurwitz of the Simon’s Town Boat Company and a renowned dolphin and whale expert told Caxton Local News today that what is being witnessed in the video is a feeding frenzy.

“It is not usual for Bryde’s whale and long-beaked common dolphins to feed side by side,” he said.

When asked if dolphins would ever protect a calving whale, he said that while there is anecdotal evidence of dolphins carrying out good deeds, there is no scientific proof.

It also appears as if the trending video was filmed over two years ago.

Hurwitz’s comment is in line with the description of another video that seems to be of the same sighting, published by Getaway in 2021. The footage was taken by Capetonian Kade Tame, who filmed a pod of dolphins and a whale in a ‘feeding frenzy’ near Fish Hoek in Cape Town.

* This article has been amended since it was first published, as information came to light about a second video with a different description.