In some places, humans try to interact with dolphins so frequently that it disrupts their natural behavior. As a result, it is illegal to feed or approach a wild dolphin in many countries, including the United States. Dolphins are large, powerful creatures that can and occasionally do hurt humans.
DO NOT TOUCH the dolphins. If the dolphins want physical contact with people, they will initiate it. If you try to touch one dolphin, then all the dolphins invariably leave the area. Not only does this adversely affect dolphin behavior but it irritates the other people with your group since everyone loses on the swim.
There are now many positive stories of the good relationships between dolphins and humans, including the way this almost totally non-aggressive creature not only likes interacting with humans but sometimes saves them.
When they want to. When they feel safe and free to escape. In the wild, dolphins engage in considerable touching behavior. However, it would be unwise and potentially dangerous to assume that any dolphin you encounter wants to be petted.
The science makes one fact undeniably clear: wild dolphins of some species are noted for seeking out social encounters with humans. The phenomenon of lone sociable dolphins – for whom human contact appears to substitute for the company of their own kind – is documented extensively in the scientific literature.
Never touch or pet dolphins, even if they come close enough to touch. Use binoculars to watch dolphins from a safe distance in their natural habitat instead.
Although dolphins may seem curious, many of their behaviors are often misinterpreted as “friendly” when they actually are, in fact, signs of disturbance or aggression. If a dolphin approaches you in the water, do not engage, pursue, or otherwise interact with the dolphin, and take immediate steps to move away.
Dolphins have even been known to protect humans in danger of sharks. Apex Prey. Orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family and have been known to hunt great white sharks when food is scarce. Full-Time Orcas, Part-Time Shark Tamers.
Dolphins are known for their exceptional cognitive abilities, and one of their most impressive skills is their memory. Dolphins have a remarkable long-term memory and can remember specific individuals, sounds, and even tasks they learned in the past.
The dolphins responded best when touched on their snout, called the rostrum. Other very sensitive body parts were the melon, or the forehead, and the blowhole. The blowhole is an opening on the top of the head that dolphins use for breathing when they resurface for air.
Likewise, it is important to not harass the dolphins by making loud noises, attempting to call them over to you, or disturbing them in any way. Do not try to forcibly touch them or attempt to get their attention. Again, these are wild animals and you are in their habitat.
Dolphins that are outgoing and friendly tend to be very social and approachable and have been seen coming up to boats or swimming around the shoreline in an attempt to greet and meet people. Dolphins have even been seen saving people's lives when they are threatened by sharks or are lost at sea.
Although it would seem natural for dolphins to connect primarily with their own species, there is evidence that some dolphin species are interested in interacting with people while playing. Dolphins are incredibly curious in the wild, and they will frequently interact with humans if the opportunity arises.
"They (dolphins) can tell when another dolphin is pregnant and they can certainly tell when a human is pregnant," said Dr. Janet Mann of Georgetown University.
Dolphins demonstrate the ability to do all of these things and most scientists agree that dolphins are very intelligent. They are notoriously talented mimics and quick learners; they demonstrate self-awareness, problem-solving, and empathy, innovation, teaching skills, grief, joy and playfulness.
Both humans and dolphins are mammals. Although sea water acts as an effective disinfectant, interaction with wild dolphins may result in disease transfer. These may present serious health threats to dolphins and humans alike. Finally, swimming with dolphins represents harassment – you do not want to get a fine.
The dolphins kept the group of swimmers safe from the shark. No one was hurt during the incident. The group of swimmers were saved by the dolphins. For 40 minutes the dolphins swam around the swimmers, slapping their tails on the water to divert the shark and keeping the people safe.
SWTD programs have reported human injuries including lacerations, tooth rakes, internal injuries, broken bones, and shock. There is the potential for dolphins to suffer from unnatural exposure to human bacterial and viral infections, and they have experienced stress-related conditions, including ulcers.
Given how social dolphins are, Hawkins said, the animals seek to form and reinforce bonds, often using sexual behavior. For solitary male dolphins isolated from their society, rubbing themselves on objects or people has been observed as attempts to meet that biological need, she said.
“A little bit like mind-reading.” There is strong evidence to show that they use specific whistles to identify or call each other. Recent studies by the Orca Research Trust in New Zealand have noted bottlenose dolphins and orcas carrying dead infants in what has been interpreted as a signal of grief.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) is a federal law that was passed in 1972 and it regulates most interactions with marine life, dolphins included. In short, this law bans people from harassing, feeding, hunting, capturing, collecting, or killing any marine life.
Dolphins have skin that is quite sensitive to even the lightest touch–much like the skins of human beings. Dolphins are know to rub their bodies up against each other, but also to engage in intricate rubbing behaviors using the pectoral fins.
“The clitoris of dolphins has well-developed erectile spaces, is highly sensitive to tactile stimulation, and is likely functional,” the study notes. The animals do experience pleasure when having sex, due to their “large” clitorises.
Dolphins use echolocation to create an impression of the world around them. These pictures hold a wealth of three-dimensional information like depth, making it difficult to translate into flat images.