Latest news with #EvanBrodsky
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Whale Watching Group Captures Stunning Video of 2,000 Dolphins Leaping Together in Rare Super Pod
A whale-watching tour company in Northern California captured rare footage of a dolphin super pod — featuring about 2,000 dolphins breaching off of the coast of Monterey. According to the Associated Press, Monterey Bay Whale Watch boat captain and videographer Evan Brodsky was sailing near Monterey Bay, about 100 miles away from San Francisco, on Friday, Feb. 21, when he encountered the super pod — which included the rare northern right whale dolphin. Brodsky told the outlet that he and a crew were conducting research when they saw about 12 dolphins in a group. They quickly followed the pod, spotting more dolphins along the way. Video footage captured by Brodsky's drone shows hundreds of dolphins breaking through the water's surface, splashing around, and playing on a bright, sunny California day. Related: Over 100 Dolphins Saved from Historic Mass Stranding in Cape Cod "[Today], we were out again conducting a survey on the area when we came across a super pod of a mind-blowing 2000+ northern right whale dolphins mixed with pacific white-sided dolphins spread out for miles as far as we could see!!" the whale watching tour group wrote alongside the footage in a Facebook post on Friday. "While super pods like this are rare (especially of NRWD) winter is still the best time of year to have a chance at encountering big pods of dolphins," the company added. By the end of the ride, the group had counted more than 2,000 dolphins, including light gray baby calves, several hundred Pacific white-sided dolphins, and northern right whale dolphins. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), northern right whale dolphins commonly live in pods of about 100 to 200 dolphins—although sometimes their super pods can grow to 3,000 animals. The species is the only one in the North Pacific Ocean without a dorsal fin, and the animals can grow as large as 10 feet long and weigh 250 pounds. "At sea, they are sometimes mistaken for herds of fur seals and sea lions due to their dark, streamlined body," NOAA states. Northern right whale dolphins also socialize with other species, including Risso's dolphins, which Brodsky told the AP he filmed last month. "They're all smooth," Brodsky joked, referring to the more common dolphin species. "When they jump, they look like flying eyebrows." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: Florida Dolphin Found 'In Distress' Later Diagnosed with Bird Flu, Study Finds Colleen Talty, a marine biologist with Monterey Bay Whale Watch, also told the AP that many people come to Monterey from all over the world to try to catch a glimpse of the elusive northern right whale dolphin. This species gathers in the bay's deep underwater canyons to socialize, eat, and ward off predators. For Talty, the best part of seeing Brodsky's drone footage was the calves swimming alongside their families. "We don't always see baby dolphins," she told the outlet, "so that's pretty nice." Brodsky joked that seeing the thousands of dolphins swimming in unison might have even brought a tear to some of his crew members' eyes. "We were so excited it was hard to hold in our emotions," he recalled. "We had the biggest grins from ear to ear." Read the original article on People
CBC
26-02-2025
- Science
- CBC
Captain 'lost for words' after witnessing a super pod of more than 2,000 dolphins
Evan Brodsky was scouting for sea creatures on Friday when he hit "the motherlode." Brodsky, captain and videographer for a private boat tour company, was out on Monterey Bay south of San Francisco, Calif., on Friday when he and his colleagues found themselves surrounded by thousands of dolphins as far as the eye could see. "I'm just kind of looking on the horizon, and the water looked like it was boiling hot water. It was just like foam and bubbles everywhere, there were so many dolphins," Brodsky, of Monterey Bay Whale Watch, told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. "It was so amazing. We were just lost for words." The massive convergence of dolphins is what's known as a super pod, and it's a rare sight to behold, even for someone whose entire job is to find and watch marine life. But what made the sight even more special is that most of the animals were northern right whale dolphins, an elusive species usually only found in deeper waters. WATCH | A rare super pod of dolphins spotted in California: Rare footage shows 'super pod' of 2,000 dolphins off California 3 hours ago Duration 0:50 Brodsky and his colleagues were in the company's scouting boat on Friday afternoon, scanning the seas for signs of life, when they came across a perfectly normal-sized pod of about 10 to 15 Pacific white sided dolphins, a common species to find in the area. But the dolphins, it turns out, were on their way to a much bigger party — and they led the boaters right to it. Riding parallel to the small group, they soon came upon the super pod. Based on drone footage, it appears to have included a few hundred Pacific whites, and an estimated 2,000 northern right whale dolphins, including mothers and their calves. 'Flying eyebrows' and 'little footballs' Northern right whale dolphins are one of only two species of dolphins with no dorsal fins, and the adults are glossy jet back, like orcas, with white bellies. "They're all smooth," Brodsky said in a separate interview with The Associated Press. "When they jump, they look like flying eyebrows." The calves, he told CBC, are more of a "battleship grey" and look like "little footballs jumping out of the water next to mom." Brodsky says they tried to give the dolphins space, staying about 100 metres away so as not to bother them or get in their way. But boats, he says, make waves in the water behind them, called wakes, which the naturally curious and playful creatures love to "surf" on. "So they swam right up to the boat," he said. "Like, we were looking down and they were right next to us. It was incredible." Pacific white-sided dolphins usually travel in pods of between 10 and 100, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Northern right whale dolphins' pods tend to be bigger, between 150 and 300 — though they have been seen in super pods as large as 3,000. Colleen Talty, a marine biologist with Monterey Bay Whale Watch, says there are a number of reasons dolphins might form a super pod like this one, including to fend off predators, feed on the same food, or simply to socialize. Brodsky suspects, in this case, it was the latter, describing whales leaping into the air, popping their heads out of the water, and slapping their tails. "It was a big, fun social event," he said. Northern right whale dolphins are known to be highly social and often mix with other dolphin species. But, usually, they stick to deeper waters, which means tour boats don't happen upon them very often. Talty says people come from around the world to try and get a glimpse of them in the bay's deep underwater canyons. "We don't always see baby dolphins," she said, "so that's pretty nice." It's a moment Brodsky says he'll never forget. He filmed a group of about 1,500 Risso dolphins in the bay last month, making this his second encounter with a super pod since he started working with the company in 2022. "Every time I see something like this it's like the first time," he said. "It never gets old."
NBC News
26-02-2025
- General
- NBC News
Rare video captures super pod of 2,000 dolphins breaching and playing off California coast
SAN FRANCISCO — A California boat captain has captured rare video of a super pod of more than 2,000 dolphins breaching off the coast of Monterey Bay, including the more elusive northern right whale dolphin. Northern right whale dolphins are often spotted farther away from shore and in deeper waters, but Evan Brodsky, a captain and videographer with private boat tour company Monterey Bay Whale Watch, encountered the mammals last week about 11 miles from the harbor. The dolphins are one of two dolphin species without a dorsal fin. 'They're all smooth,' said Brodsky, and joked, 'When they jump, they look like flying eyebrows.' Brodsky was out around noon Friday with two other crew members conducting research when they spotted a dozen dolphins. They followed the pod until they estimated there were more than 2,000 of them, including light gray baby calves, and several hundred Pacific white-sided dolphins. 'We were so excited it was hard to hold in our emotions. We had the biggest grins from ear to ear,' he said, adding that one of his coworkers may have shed a tear at the sight. Northern right whale dolphins live in pods of 100 to 200, according to the nonprofit Whale and Dolphin Conservation. They are gregarious and highly social and often mix with other dolphin species, including Risso's dolphins, a super pod of which Brodsky captured on drone video last month. Adults are about 10 feet long and weigh over 200 pounds, Brodsky said. People come from around the world to try to see a northern right whale dolphin in the bay's deep underwater canyons, said Colleen Talty, a marine biologist with Monterey Bay Whale Watch. Monterey is about 120 miles south of San Francisco. She said the dolphins could be clustering to fend off predators, feed on the same food or socialize. 'We don't always see baby dolphins,' she said, 'so that's pretty nice.'
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
‘Superpod' of more than 2,000 dolphins frolic off California coast: ‘Like flying eyebrows'
More than 2,000 dolphins gathered off the California coast to form a 'superpod', gliding and breaching the clear, aquamarine waters off Monterey Bay. The superpod included Northern right whale dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins, as well as light grey baby calves. Evan Brodsky, a captain and videographer with the private boat tour company Monterey Bay Whale Watch, captured a video of the dolphins, and his company shared it on Facebook, calling the spectacle 'mind-blowing'. Brodsky was out with the private whale-watching tour company's survey team, conducting research in the area. The company had also recently spotted thousands of Risso's dolphins in the same region. 'Super pods like this are rare, especially of Northern right whale dolphins,' Monterey Bay Whale Watch wrote on Facebook, noting that winter is the best time to watch for dolphins in this area. Northern right whale dolphins typically travel in smaller clusters of 100 or 200, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). They are the only species of dolphin in the north Pacific region that lack dorsal fins, and are known to be acrobatic swimmers who can leap more than 20ft above the water. 'They're all smooth,' Brodsky told the Associated Press. 'When they jump, they look like flying eyebrows.' He and his crew became entranced by the sight, he said: 'We were so excited, it was hard to hold in our emotions. We had the biggest grins from ear to ear.' Dolphins might cluster to fend off predators, or feed together. 'In pods they play, babysit, alert each other to danger like predators, practice courtship, and hunt together,' according to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Monterey Bay, south of San Francisco, is a destination for marine wildlife enthusiasts. The bay is part of a national marine sanctuary stretching from Marin county in the north to Cambria in the south.
The Guardian
26-02-2025
- The Guardian
‘Superpod' of more than 2,000 dolphins frolic off California coast: ‘like flying eyebrows'
More than 2,000 dolphins gathered off the California coast to form a 'superpod', gliding and breaching the clear, aquamarine waters off Monterey Bay. The superpod included Northern right whale dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins, as well as light grey baby calves. Evan Brodsky, a captain and videographer with the private boat tour company Monterey Bay Whale Watch, captured a video of the dolphins, and his company shared it on Facebook, calling the spectacle 'mind-blowing'. Brodsky was out with the private whale-watching tour company's survey team, conducting research in the area. The company had also recently spotted thousands of Risso's dolphins in the same region. 'Super pods like this are rare, especially of Northern right whale dolphins,' Monterey Bay Whale Watch wrote on Facebook, noting that winter is the best time to watch for dolphins in this area. Northern right whale dolphins typically travel in smaller clusters of 100 or 200, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). They are the only species of dolphin in the north Pacific region that lack dorsal fins, and are known to be acrobatic swimmers who can leap more than 20ft above the water. 'They're all smooth,' Brodsky told the Associated Press. 'When they jump, they look like flying eyebrows.' He and his crew became entranced by the sight, he said: 'We were so excited, it was hard to hold in our emotions. We had the biggest grins from ear to ear.' Dolphins might cluster to fend off predators, or feed together. 'In pods they play, babysit, alert each other to danger like predators, practice courtship, and hunt together,' according to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Monterey Bay, south of San Francisco, is a destination for marine wildlife enthusiasts. The bay is part of a national marine sanctuary stretching from Marin county in the north to Cambria in the south.
