Dolphins love salmon action too!

Following on from last week's column about the Australian salmon migration along our coast, check out this image taken on the dolphin swim tour early on Tuesday morning.

Like a torpedo locking in on its target, this big dolphin wasted no time charging into a school of salmon and taking the prize. Or so we thought!

As impressive as it was to observe such a dramatic attack, the dolphin appeared a little confused as to what to do next.

The salmon proved way too big for him to swallow and a lack of sharp teeth to slice or chew left the dolphin with little choice but to carry it around like a dog with a bone for more than an hour before we lost sight of him.

We suspect the dolphin does this to tenderise the fish before breaking it up into smaller pieces, however I have never witnessed this behaviour myself.

How they do this is still a mystery, however we suspect they either play tug-of-war with the fish, or drag the fish along the sandy bottom to break it up.

Either way, this feeding behaviour is a fantastic sight and one that can be observed right along our coast this Anzac Day long weekend.

Most of the beaches around Margaret River and Dunsborough have been busy with salmon action for weeks, however the storm cells and big swells that hit last weekend appear to have pushed a lot of fish closer to Bunbury and north to Perth.

Being literally a few metres from shore, this will provide the opportunity for many of us to observe this natural phenomenon first hand but be aware of the dangers and avoid getting too close to the action.

Dolphins are powerful animals and will not appreciate people swimming among them when close to shore.

You might be surprised to know there have been multiple reports of dolphin impact injuries due to people trying to swim with dolphins chasing fish so remember to keep your distance and avoid entering the water whenever feeding dolphins are close-by.

More to the point, there are plenty of other big predators chasing salmon alongside the dolphins so my advice would be to only enjoy the action from the shoreline or from a boat.

I saw some impressive images taken by a drone off Bunker Bay in Dunsborough last weekend and could not believe the number of sharks following the salmon school.

Dozens of sharks between 2-4m remained close but unseen by the naked eye awaiting their chance to feast on the salmon buffet so remain vigilant and act responsibly at all times.

For those interested in seeing this incredible phenomenon first hand, dolphin sightseeing tours will depart from the Dolphin Discovery Centre throughout the long weekend.

Although there are no guarantees that the salmon schools will be in the bay, dolphins numbers are peaking and the new babies continue to melt the hearts of everyone on board, so call the booking office on 9791 3088 or jump online www.dolphindiscovery.com.au for more information.