IT has been a military tactic deployed by everyone from the Romans to the RAF, but it would appear attacking in tight formation is also practised in the Moray Firth – by dolphins.
An extraordinary assault on defenceless harbour porpoises by a group of around eight bottlenose dolphins acting in "tight formation" has been witnessed by a marine wildlife expert off Covesea Skerries near Lossiemouth in Moray.
Alan Airey, North Grampian Regional Co-ordinator for the marine research charity Sea Watch Foundation, said he has never seen such an organised and well-executed offensive by a tight pack of the mammals before.
The porpoises were watching around eight bottlenoses – including a mother and calf – leaping, feeding and surfing on the west side of the skerries.
While the mother and calf remained feeding, slowly the behaviour of the other dolphins changed.
The expert said a porpoise was tossed in the air and one swam for its life in front of the dolphin pack.
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