Dolphins seen frolicking in playful surf display

A pod of playful dolphins put on a show for onlookers when they where captured catching waves at Cheyne Beach at the weekend.

Raeline Smith caught the spectacle on camera, which featured 15-20 bottlenose dolphins riding the crests of the waves as they rolled in to shore.

Department of Parks and Wildlife South Coast wildlife officer Peter Collins said it was not known why dolphins surfed waves.

“It’s quite possibly a learned behaviour, with the older animals teaching the young,” he said. “A number of marine mammals do quite acrobatic-type behaviours and it has been discussed they might be ridding themselves of parasites.

“But looking at (the) photo, it’s more gentle it looks like a learned behaviour they enjoy.”

Bottlenose dolphins are common along the south coast and Mr Collins said the varying ages of the mammals was promising

“These is a number of age classes in the wave, which is encouraging,” he said.

“There is a lot of young animals around, which is a good sign the population is healthy.”