Video shows dolphins building mud rings to catch prey in Caribbean

Bottlenose dolphins employ many tactics to hunt fish, like using their tails or swimming alongside fishermen. But a new study has discovered that the animals build mud rings to trap prey in the Caribbean — the first time it’s been seen in the region.

This hunting technique has only been seen up until now in the Florida Keys. It involves one dolphin from the pack kicking its tail near the seafloor to build up a mud ring. The fish get trapped in the ring and try to escape via the surface - but as they break through the water, the dolphins are ready to pounce.

Researchers at the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development first observed this fish-hunting tactic in the Caribbean at Chetumal-Corozal Bay, Belize.