Researchers have spent over a decade to confirm a rare species of dolphin found in Queensland rivers will beach itself in search of food.

Southern Cross University researcher Dr Daniele Cagnazzi has been researching humpback dolphins that live in the Fitzroy River in central Queensland.

Southern Cross University researcher Dr Daniele Cagnazzi used drones to film a pod of humpback dolphins in the Fitzroy River strand feeding. Credit:Southern Cross University

Dr Cagnazzi has spent 13 years observing and cataloguing the dolphins’ behaviour, and has managed to get good footage and photos of the dolphins hunting out of the water.

“It was back in 2009 when we first observed this unique behaviour, and we thought this might be something they do more often.