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.
Swimming with dolphins is not safe for your family, nor the dolphins. Again, don't be fooled by their smiles–dolphins are wild animals. You wouldn't dream of putting your children in a cage with a lion or tiger.
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.
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.
Depending on the hardness and repetition, tail and flipper slaps can serve as a warning to other dolphins of nearby danger, or be a sign of playful communication. Dolphins can also use their tail and flipper slaps to indicate specific desires, if they're hungry or if they simply want to play.
Dolphins have no sense of smell
Dolphins have olfactory tracts, but lack olfactory nerves.
In 2019, a man in County Clare, Ireland, was attacked by a dolphin while swimming in the ocean. The man suffered injuries to his chest and face and was left with post-traumatic stress disorder. This incident highlights the importance of being cautious when swimming in areas where dolphins are known to frequent.
In reality, dolphins have saved humans on many occasions. In two (sort of) similar incidents, one in 2004 and one in 2007, pods of dolphins circled imperiled surfers for over thirty minutes in order to ward off aggressive great white sharks.
All the same, regardless of how unusual it might be when compared with other animal species, there is a stack of good scientific evidence that documents curious and friendly dolphin behaviour involving human beings, which is probably enough to support the idea that dolphins have an affinity for humans.
No one knows why, but dolphins have been saving people for thousands of years. Dating back to Ancient Greece, there are dozens of claims of dolphins rescuing people from sharks, helping drowning sailors, and guiding boats through rough waters. But it's not just ancient mythology – it's still happening all the time.
Sharks are solitary predators, whereas dolphins travel in groups called pods. Whenever a member of the group is in danger from a shark, the rest of the pod rushes in to defend their buddy. Dolphins have even been known to protect humans in danger of sharks.
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.
Swimming with wild dolphins could run the risk of distressing them, disrupting their natural behaviours and feeding patterns, and separating mothers from their calves.
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.
A shark would win in a fight against a dolphin. They are faster, larger, and more attuned to predation than others. Furthermore, their mouths are actually large enough to bite down on a dolphin and deal fatal damage.
It is not known exactly why this is, but there appears to be an innate affinity. Many studies have found that when a dolphin cannot find friends of its own species, it often turns to humans for companionship instead. Dolphins are also known to follow along with fishing boats and those who are snorkeling.
A Personal Connection Between Dolphins And Pregnant Women
Many reports from pregnant women who have interacted with dolphins suggest that these marine mammals exhibit special behavior toward them. They often describe dolphins as being more gentle, curious, and attentive during encounters.
Humans and dolphins do have some romantic history
In fact, seven per cent of zoophiles (humans sexually attracted to animals) named dolphins as their preferred choice of mate. Some studies have also found evidence male dolphins are sexually attracted to women as they give off similar pheromones to female dolphins.
The ancient Greeks told stories of dolphins protecting sailors, and it even happened on an episode of Flipper. It isn't surprising that people are fascinated by this idea. Unfortunately, there just isn't any reliable evidence that it's true.
Contrary to popular belief, the number of shark attack incidents can be higher when dolphins swim around near the shore, increasing, even more, the number of encounters with humans. Actually, the real scenario could be even worse. Dolphins may very well be dangerous shark magnets.
Sharks prefer to avoid dolphins. Dolphins are mammals that live in pods and are very clever. They know how to protect themselves. When they see an aggressive shark, they immediately attack it with the whole pod.
So, how smart are dolphins? Well, it's believed that dolphins are actually the second smartest animal on the planet, next to humans. And yes, even smarter than primates. With a high brain-to-body weight ratio, dolphins are capable of complex problem solving and understanding abstract situations.
While intelligence is difficult to quantify in any organism, many studies suggest that dolphins are second only to us humans in smarts. Using brain size as a barometer, dolphins come in second only to humans in brain-to-body size ratio. However, dolphins also excel intelligence-based tests.
Venezuelan angler Carlos Rosales caught a dolphin with a DRP tag, showing it had been a free-swimming fish for over a year, moving from South Florida to Venezuela before it was caught a second time.