British photographer Christopher Swann has captured stunning underwater moments when sharks and dolphins collaborate to hunt a school of mackerel. These images provide a unique perspective on the hunting and defensive strategies of marine creatures off the coast of the Azores.
To protect themselves, the swarming school of mackerel forms a massive, silvery ball. Swann’s photographs reveal thousands of fish closely aligned with each other as a defense tactic while navigating the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. According to the photographer, this united formation reached an impressive diameter of approximately 30 feet.
Despite their massive size and collective effort to seek safety in numbers, the mackerel school still fell victim to predators from all directions. While sharks and dolphins attacked the cluster of mackerel from below, Cory’s shearwaters dove in from above to snatch the fish as they moved closer to the surface. It’s incredible that Swann managed to capture these remarkable images while swimming alongside the frenzied attack.
These photographs offer a glimpse into the complex dynamics of ocean life and the delicate balance between predator and prey beneath the waves. They remind us of the breathtaking beauty and raw power of the natural world that exists just beneath the surface of the sea.
