The yearly extravaganza when millions of sardines provide a free-for-all buffet for man and beast alike is equally rich in other curiosities:
• The first mention of the sardine run was in August 1853 in an article in the Natal Mercury newspaper.
• In the past 40 years, there have been four ‘non-runs’ due to the water not reaching the optimum temperature of below 21 °C for the migration to occur.
• About 200,000 tonnes of these little fish are caught each year between May and July.
• The so-called bait balls can be up to 20 metres in diameter and last for as long as 10 minutes as the fish are rounded up by predators.
• The sight of killer whales chasing the super-pods of dolphins feasting on the sardines, is not uncommon.