'Stampeding' dolphins put on show for sightseers

Hundreds of dolphins were seen 'stampeding' alongside a whale-watching tour group off the shore of Newport Beach, California.

The Newport Coastal Adventure tour boat was travelling at around 10 knots alongside the pod on Tuesday, November 12, the group told Storyful in a release.

• Whale watcher: 'Off to the races, it's a dolphin stampede everybody!'

The behavior is what they call stampeding, or porpoising, when dolphins swiftly rise above the surface of the water.

"The reasons why dolphin stampede is unknown, but some experts say that it may be to avoid a predator, or possibly to get to an area where there is more food," the group said.

• Dolphins' killer whale encounter captured on video