A dolphin named Bubbles has developed a novel foraging strategy where he chases individual fish using echolocation, waiting for them to vomit from stress before consuming the regurgitated food. This behavior, observed up to 10 times in half an hour, appears to be learned and targets bigeye trevally with full bellies, providing more rewarding meals with less energy expenditure than chasing fast-swimming prey.

The technique involves Bubbles closely mirroring his target's movements until the fish vomits—a stress response—allowing him to ingest the regurgitated food while the fish swims away. Researchers note this kleptoparasitic behavior may be underestimated in the wild due to its cryptic nature.

Lead author Dr. Haines suggests echolocation may help Bubbles identify fish with full stomachs, as different fish shapes return uniquely structured echoes. The study calls for more evidence from other dolphins in the region, noting technologies like animal-borne cameras and drones could reveal similar behaviors.

Published in Ecology and Evolution (2026), the research highlights how innovative feeding strategies can reduce energy costs for marine predators like dolphins.