Dolphin's Hunt Adds to Bioluminescent Spectacle for Florida Kayakers

A dolphin chasing its prey through the water made for a beautiful bioluminescent display at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, in Titusville, Florida, recently.

This footage was recorded by Justin Buzzi, whose clear kayak made the flashing blue traces of the fish and dolphin even easier to spot.

Buzzi, who runs the Get Up And Go Kayaking franchise, told Storyful the “dolphin chasing after a fish” was “igniting the bioluminescent plankton.”

He explained on Instagram that “this is exactly how dinoflagellates (the bioluminescent plankton) survive.” The plankton, he said, “give off light to hopefully draw attention to their predators. As that light drew attention to a small fish in this scenario, the dolphin was then able to be alerted to the fish and find its source of food.”

“The circle of life (and evolution) is so crazy, especially at night, and even more so when bioluminescence is introduced,” Buzzi said. Credit: Justin Buzzi via Storyful

Video transcript

- Oh, it's right here underwater. Oh, it's right-- right under us.

- Ho-ho!

- Oh, my God. That was crazy.

- Did you see it in the camera?

- Oh!

- Wow.

- Yeah. What! It's right behind you guys.

Oh, it's right here underwater. Oh, it's right-- right under us.

- Ho-ho!

- Oh, my God. That was crazy.

- Did you see it in the camera?

- Oh!

- Wow.

- Yeah. What! It's right behind you guys.

Oh, it's right here underwater. Oh, it's right-- right under us.

- Ho-ho!

- Oh, my God. That was crazy.

- Did you see it in the camera?

- Oh!

- Wow.

- Yeah. What! It's right behind you guys.