Jason Heller photographs underwater battle
PHOTOGRAPHER has captured an epic underwater food fight between sharks, whales, seals, dolphins and gannets.
A PHOTOGRAPHER has captured an epic underwater food fight between sharks, whales, seals, dolphins and gannets.
Jason Heller witnessed the fearsome predators off the Wild Coast of South Africa during the Sardine Run.
Mr Heller was followed by hungry dolphins, sharks, sea birds and seals, while the sardines protected themselves from this onslaught by forming into giant "bait balls".
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The dolphins, using their sonar to locate the sardines, swam in a pod to force the sardines into a tight ball near the surface of the water to make an easy meal, Mr Heller said.
And the gannets, who had been tracking the dolphins from the air, dive-bombed the water like living spears to snack on the sardines.
The attack continued with seals, sharks and Bryde's whales also targeting the fish.
The sardine's biggest threat was the Bryde's whales - which can eat 10,000 sardines in just one mouthful.
Mr Heller, who has been involved in underwater photography since 2001, this was his first experience of the sardine run.
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