Risso’s dolphins respond to octopus bloom off Devon coast

Photographs captured by volunteer Bill Coulson off Berry Head, Devon, have documented an unusual interaction between a Risso’s dolphin and a common octopus. This sighting provides evidence of how a significant octopus bloom is impacting marine wildlife along the Southwest coastline of the UK.

Researchers from the Marine Biological Association and the University of Exeter note that the abundance of common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) may be creating new feeding opportunities for Risso’s dolphins, which typically feed on squid and other cephalopods. This phenomenon is being studied in the context of warming seas and changing marine ecosystems.

The current octopus bloom is described as the largest recorded in at least 75 years. Scientists are using these observations, supported by citizen science, to better understand how cetaceans like the Risso’s dolphin are responding to shifts in prey availability.