A pod of heroic dolphins have been captured on video defending a humpback whale and her calf from a group of five male whales on Sunday.
The mother, named Spirit, and her male calf, Sunny, found themselves in danger while swimming off Flinders Bay, in Augusta, when the group of males humpbacks began competing to mate with the mother.
Members of Whale Watch WA, who filmed the event, watched on in amazement as 10 to 15 Bottlenose Dolphins suddenly leaped to the aid of the female humpback and her son, who the male whales chased for more than 30 minutes.
The mother, named Spirit, and her male calf, Sunny, found themselves in danger while swimming off Flinders Bay, in Augusta, on Sunday (pictured)
Spirit was forced to swim close to the Whale Watch WA vessel in an effort to shelter her young calf as the dolphins came to her defense.
The dolphins gathered around the tired female humpback.
One of the dolphins even flashed its teeth toward the male humpbacks in a sign of aggression.
‘Truly remarkable’: Bottleneck dolphins surrounded the humpbacks to protect them from the males
The mother protected her young calf by all means necessary in the face of danger
The female humpback kept her calf sheltered close to the vessel of Whale Watcher WA
One of the male humpbacks then began to act as an ‘escort’ for the mother and her calf and chased the smaller males away.
Success for one of the males could have separated Sunny from Spirit, leading to the calf’s death.
Whale Watch WA have hailed the experience as evidence of how a humpback mother will do whatever she can to protect her offspring.
They have referred to the interaction between the whales and dolphins as ‘truly remarkable’ and a ‘true once in a lifetime experience’.
