Watch Wild Dolphins
Without a doubt, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is the highlight of our Brevard County Nature Tours. A steady stream of baitfish, such as mullet and other favorable natural elements, such as warm temperatures and calm water, attract bottlenose dolphins to the Indian River Lagoon.
These friendly mammals have a huge appetite. The average bottlenose dolphin consumes up to30 pounds of food each day, including crustaceans. It’s not unusual to find a pod of up to 20 dolphins, including baby dolphins.
When bottlenose dolphins feed, they often swarm schools of fish together by forming a tight circle. In various parts of the Indian River Lagoon, you can watch dolphins chase bait fish around inlets and coves.
Unfortunately, many dolphins suffer injuries similar to the Florida Manatee, due to careless boaters. According to NOAA, 44 dolphins have died in the Indian River Lagoon during the past two years.
