‘Jack The Flipper' killer dolphin on loose off UK coast after slaying a baby dolphin and then a SHARK

Scottish Sun

2 days ago

Both of his killings were caught on camera by Dolphin watcher Sarah Michelle Wyer, who had previously named him Anakin after the Star Wars character
SOMEFIN IN THE WATER? 'Jack The Flipper' killer dolphin on loose off UK coast after slaying a baby dolphin and then a SHARK
A KILLER dolphin is on the loose after being caught on video slaying one of its own kind — and then a shark.
The bottlenose dolphin, dubbed Jack the Flipper, targeted a smooth-hound shark last week having previously attacked a juvenile common dolphin three months ago.
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The killer bottlenose dolphin was caught slaying one if its own kind
Credit: Jam Press/Sarah Michelle Wyer
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'Jack The Flipper' also killed a smooth-hound shark last week
Credit: Jam Press/Sarah Michelle Wyer
He is part of a pod in Cardigan Bay, off the coast of Mid Wales, and had actually been named Anakin, after the Star Wars character, by dolphin watcher Sarah Michelle Wyer.
She told The Sun: 'I've not seen a dolphin throw a shark out in the eight years I've been watching them.
'One of the skippers has seen them throw topes, which is another small member of the shark family, but not smooth-hounds.
'But when Anakin killed the young common dolphin, it was the first recorded instance of this behaviour happening in Cardigan Bay. It is unknown why this dolphin chose to do it — as it would have been of no threat. Bottlenose dolphins are highly intelligent creatures and are capable of many unusual behaviours.
'They are not 'friendly flipper'. This particular dolphin seems to have a very unusual personality.
'Despite the name, common dolphins aren't common around here. And we now think this could be because of the bottlenose dolphins.'
Smooth-hounds can grow up to 4ft in length — while bottlenose dolphins can reach up to 12ft.
Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips, who Sarah works with, added: 'We were very surprised when one of our local dolphins, Anakin, brought what we originally thought was a large salmon past the boat and then threw the fish out the water.
'To our surprise, it was not a salmon but a member of the shark family called a smooth-hound.
'We aren't sure if there are many records of smooth-hounds being part of a bottlenose dolphin's diet.
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'Bottlenose dolphins are opportunistic feeders and have a varied diet of fish, squid and crustaceans.
'Anakin's dolphinality is a very unusual one to say the least.'