Adam Walker: Swimmer rescued by ‘hero’ dolphins who were chasing away a deadly shark poised to attack
In 2014, Adam was finishing a 16-mile challenge when a pod of dolphins shielded him from one
Adam Walker: A swimmer about to be attacked by a deadly shark was saved by ‘hero’ dolphins
COOK STRAIT, NEW ZEALAND:
A British swimmer was in shock after realizing he was being chased by a great white shark.
Adam Walker, from Nottingham, was swimming off the coast of New Zealand in 2014 when the shark chasing him was spotted. At the time of the incident, Walker was told he was safe taking a dip as there were no sharks near Cook Strait.
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However, a pod of dolphins miraculously saved Adam, surfacing just in time to protect him from the deadly shark. Walker can be seen in a video posted to YouTube along with a support boat in the middle of his 16-mile challenge. A pod of dolphins suddenly emerges from the sea and surrounds the man.
Walker wrote on Facebook at the time that it was an incredible experience and that he felt the mammals were protecting him while he was swimming. He remarked: “There’s nothing quite like swimming in the open ocean while I swim with dolphins on my sixth of seven swims in the Cook Strait!! dream come true!”
However, Walker admitted he didn’t know a shark was around until the moment he exited the water. Walker was upset when he learned the truth because a friend had told him sharks would not pose a threat to his safety before he went in the water. Walker mentioned in his interview with the Marlborough Express that he “attacked him (his mate) as I was coming out”.
Sharks often prey on dolphins, so they rely on each other for protection. To smack the belly or gills of sharks that come close to attack, the creatures use their large groups to lunge at them.
According to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), dolphins form groups and protect each other from shark attacks by chasing and ramming them. This is the main advantage that dolphins have over shark attacks.
Dolphins may defend the weaker members of their pods and extended families, including baby dolphins and sick or injured dolphins, the group continued.
Walker swam the entire distance in 8 hours and 36 minutes. The challenge was the sixth in a series of challenging swims he undertook to raise money and publicity for WDC.