Dolphins seen leaping off UK coast in rare sighting

Dolphins leaping out of the water just off the UK coast are a majestic sight, and fortunately in this case a wildlife photographer happened to be nearby to witness it.

According to the BBC, amateur wildlife photographer Andrew Cottrell was strolling along the beach at Hunmanby Gap on Monday 23 January when he spotted a pod of about 20 dolphins off the shore.

Cottrell spotted that they 'seemed to be having fun' in the water and got pictures of them leaping out of the water and reaching great heights in the process.

Since they weigh an estimated 500kg, it's incredibly impressive that they can propel themselves out of the water and leap so high, and it makes for a wonderful natural spectacle to boot.

Thanks to Andrew's photography, this amazing sight is available for everyone to enjoy.

ANDREW COTTRELL / SWNS

Speaking to ITV about being in the right place at the right time, Andrew said he'd taken hundreds of pictures, but knew he had a special shot when he went home and had a chance to really look at the images.

The picture of a male dolphin jumping out of the water and ending up about three metres up in the air was the shot he knew had captured something amazing.

He said: "It's a thrill to get something like that, because you never know what you have been able to get.

"You stand there hoping as you press the button that something that you're seeing is getting into the camera, but you never really know until you get home what you've got."

"That's the unusual thing. There are literally thousands of shots of dolphins breaching, but it's the height which is so unusual. I've never seen them go that far out of the water."

ANDREW COTTRELL / SWNS

Dolphins are intelligent and fascinating creatures, with plenty of swimmers reporting that they've been protected by the aquatic mammals.

One guy who got lost at see off the coast of Ireland thought he was going to be eaten by sharks when he spotted fins circling him, but it actually turned out to be a pod of dolphins which experts believe were trying to herd him to safety.

Another swimmer tells the tale of how he was swimming off the New Zealand coast when a great white shark approached, but was warded off by a protective circle of dolphins.

Studying these animals has helped us learn a lot about them, including one fascinating fact that male bottlenose dolphins will 'wingman' each other to help them find a mate.

Sadly, since the pandemic dolphins who live in the waters around the UK have been increasingly disturbed by people in boats following a resurgence in tourism.