frencharmoire

When tour operators and tourists began tracking down dolphins, looking to get close to them and even swim holding on to them, little thought was given to how the dolphins might feel about all this. Maybe because the natural look of a dolphin's amazing face makes people believe they are all always smiling. There is now evidence that interacting with humans and protecting their habitat causes them a lot of stress, and eats away at their well-being.

There are so many films of dolphins that you can enjoy and learn from without invading their homes to take your own pictures. In this article, it is sad to me that tour operators are fighting restrictions by saying that some of their customers told them abusing a dolphin, invading dolphin territory, had been a "life-changing experience" worth the money.

http://www.thejournal.ie/proposed-ba...e=twitter_self

Everybody can change their life and the lives of others by being kinder to animals and the planet. Please support travel that doesn't destroy complex nature for the commercial benefit of a very few people, and do not patronize tours that exploit these intelligent, highly sensitive creatures.

marvelousmouse

The trouble is that while our money talks, the tour operators will say anything to keep themselves in business. So as there are always going to be uneducated travelers who line up to see it- lawmakers just need to shut it down based on facts, not testimony from the tour operators. I feel they should be the last people that should be listened to.

(If it needs to be shut down. I'll admit I don't know enough about the issue.)

Inakauaidavidababy

It's big news on the Isalnd of Hawaii.
This may be of interest to you.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/20...-feds-propose/

jamie99

I agree, sad. At least Hawaii is doing something about it, unlike Mexico, especially the Riviera Maya where even hotels have cruel small captive dolphin pens.

sylvia3

I love snorkeling and having curious dolphins approach; it is an amazing rare experience. But having some yahoo in a single dive flipper accompanied by a floating ring of boaters made me very angry, because they were actively chasing (at two step, Honaunau). I never make a move toward one, or follow. I think that's why I've been lucky enough to be checked out now and then.

Inakauaidavidababy

Well just as I wouldn't kick out a good man for eating crackers in bed, I wouldn't brush away a visiting dolphin that approached me. Many of us are of the generation of "Flipper" When they seek human contact that is great, but skin on skin contact as well as one on one time during their nap time can have a really bad effect. Sure you see dolphins during the day that seem active, but scientists have discovered this is their down time. Even when tour guides give proper guidance I have still seen guests grab onto and try to ride a turtle.

Attention must be paid.

Signed,
I would love to have a dolphin nudge me in the wild.

sylvia3

Ride a turtle?! I'd be all over anyone I saw do that (just like standing on coral).

nytraveler

It is amazing to me that so many people have no clue about the fact that they are dealing with an intelligent being - but a wild one. Dolphins are generally safe if they approach you - but if anyone looks at the documents they are required to sign before they take part they will see that the tour operators realize that they can be very dangerous to people.

They should be left to live their lives as nature meant and just viewed and appreciated from a distance.

This is like the idiots in the national parks who approach bison - apparently thinking they are domestic cows - and not realizing they can easily kill a person - esp a cow with a calf who feels threatened.

marvelousmouse

Or like people who feed alligators. Or bears. People food is not good for your pet, so why- WHY- would you feed hot dogs to wild animals?

But never mind the "wild" aspect. Some people are just morons. Domestic cattle and horses are dangerous as well. I'm always inclined to take "vicious dog" news stories with a grain of salt, because I've seen people pull the stupidest things around our dogs. Scared animals can lash out. Large animals can hurt you without meaning to.

It's frustrating because these laws won't stop the worst offenders. Those people know touching a wild animal or stealing cultural artifacts is wrong already. It's just that putting these laws on the books makes is possible to punish the morons after the fact.

Patty

At least Hawaii is doing something about it, unlike Mexico, especially the Riviera Maya where even hotels have cruel small captive dolphin pens.

AFAIK the proposed legislation addresses swimming with wild dolphins. Swimming with captive dolphins is only banned on Maui.

frencharmoire

I'm heartened to see that so many people are willing to support a curtailment in their "travel fun" to help protect these creatures. Thanks for the added information.

sylvia3

I'm sure that a lot of the captive dolphins programs are in existence primarily because of ignorance on the part of the customers. They think it must be ok, and it's an experience that's a "must" for them and their kids. Maybe they even think the programs are somehow helping dolphins?
The uproar over Seaworld's practices shed a lot of light.

bettyk

In many of these scenarios, the animals are often the losers. Too many dumbasses don't think they need to follow the rules or are ignorant about the creatures they are stalking.

I say leave the dolphins alone. They are not our play toys.