These incredible pictures show a
spectacular feeding frenzy on sardines that took place off the South African
coast drawing in predators from far and wide.
The sardine run, which happens at
the same time every year, is embedded in the 'memories' or sharks, dolphins and
other predators, which wait patiently for the fish's inevitable migration.
Forced into a dense ball of
thousands of sardines, by shifting cold currents of water and by circling and
herding dolphins, the fish start to panic and dart wildly.
This is when the predators
attack.
Large sharks come looking out
from the depths and strike at the spinning bait ball.
Dolphins, cape gannets and whales
queue up before plunging in on the huge school of fish as it spins and turns in
on itself.
The fish are on their annual
'sardine run' up along the South African coastline.
The natural event is one of
nature's greatest phenomena and takes place in June each year.
Photographer Mark van Coller,
from Cape Town, South Africa, travelled to Port St Johns to witness the
spectacular event.
The 36-year-old said: 'The
sardines need cold water so they follow it as it gets pushed up the coast.
'This cold water gets caught
between the warm Agulhas Current which is pushing down from the tropics.
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