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Originally Posted by
Nosu3 
^^ OP, this is just a scare tactic. You will have scuba gear when you swim with them so you won't be "dragged under water". They are usually together and if one for any reason was aggressive, the others would probably come and stop it. They have the intelligence to be sympathetic toward other species and help them. You will not be going up to the dolphins either. You are in their territory so you let them approach you. They enjoy human contact and will be more friendly when you gain their trust.
Uh, OK. This is just ridiculous. Whatever. You live in a fantasy world. A: very few people who "swim with dolphins" (not really possible - you can swim near them) do so with SCUBA gear on. You will be wearing a snorkel at most in 90% of the dolphin tourist boats. Getting SCUBA certified isn't really something that most places do. B: It's illegal in a lot of places to reach out and physically touch a dolphin. It's considered "harassment" and laws are in place for both your safety, and that of the animals. Because attacks do happen. And no, a group of dolphins aren't really going to "stop" another dolphin from biting you or dragging you underwater. WTF.
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/pr...aa95-r142.html If you had ever actually gone swimming with dolphins instead of talking out your ass about an animal you seemingly know very little about, you'd have seen something like this set of guidelines for a dolphin swimming tour in Panama City Beach, FL
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WATER PLANET GUIDELINES FOR ENCOUNTERS WITH WILD DOLPHINS 1. Do not chase or pursue the dolphins. Anchor your boat and swim in the area around your boat. Not only is it a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act to follow closer than 50 yards, you run the risk of disturbing important activities such as feeding, courtship and nursing. 2. Always put out a dive flag when anyone is in the water. Remember that boats and snorkelers are not easy to see in the water. 3. Do not feed or touch the dolphins, either from the water or from a boat. Feeding and touching dolphins disrupts their natural behavioral patterns and it puts young dolphins that are not "boat-wise" at risk from boating injuries. It puts dolphins at risk of inhaling boats exhaust fumes. Dolphins can also become sick from eating contaminated fish and get injured by fishing hooks. Feeding dolphins, like chasing them, is illegal and can cost you a hefty fine.
4. If a dolphin approaches you while you are swimming, do not reach out and try to touch him. These dolphins are wild animals and rarely tolerate physical contact from humans. Trying to touch or grab a dolphin is illegal and is virtually guaranteed to scare them away. 5. Dolphins' interest in people is frequently based on curiosity. Diving, twisting, spiraling and making unusual sounds underwater often succeed in attracting a dolphin's attention. Be playful and active in a non-aggressive way. 6. Spend as much time as possible underwater. Dolphins live underwater. 7. Swim in a fluid and as graceful a style as you can. Avoid using your hands for swimming as much as possible. Dolphins do not have hands and many dolphins avoid people who wave their arms in front of them. 8. Try swimming with a friend and playing underwater games (follow the leader) with one or more friends. Dolphins are social creatures and are sometimes curious about our social interactions.
9. Dolphins are often curious about our children. Do not allow children to swim alone with dolphins. Dolphin's games are sometimes rough and aggressive; many children can become frightened in this situation. Dolphins keep their youngest close to them when exploring something new. We should follow this example. 10. Remember that RESPECT is the key to any interaction. Dolphins must initiate any interaction and they have the right to terminate it. Most dolphin encounters last less than 1 minute. Do not pursue a dolphin either in the water or with your boat.
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"Dolphins have not been domesticated. They are wild animals, even if they are in captivity and have been trained to be around people. Dolphins are large, powerful animals that can inflict serious harm on people." "Wildlife can be dangerous… There's this misconception that [dolphins are] friendly; that they're Flipper; that they want to play with people." - Trevor Spradlin, National Marine Fisheries Service
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How Do Dolphins Show Aggression? * Raking their teeth along your limbs. "Dolphins have a hundred very sharp, cone-shaped teeth, designed for grasping. I would not recommend putting my hand near them." - Randy Wells, Chicago Zoological Society * Pushing, bumping or head butting. A Brazilian man was head-butted in the chest so hard that he died of internal injuries. "Tiao the dolphin sent one man to the hospital and the other to the grave, and head-butted several more bathers for good measure." - BBC report concerning this incident. * Approaching with an open mouth, pulling you under or not letting you leave the water. "People have been bitten by dolphins, pulled under the water, rammed… They are at the top of their food chain, they're wild animals and they're predators." - Randy Wells, Chicago Zoological Society Know the risks: * Your safety is not guaranteed. Most swim-with-the-dolphin programs accept no liability for the actions of the animals they keep. This is a virtually unregulated industry that has experienced phenomenal growth. APHIS (Animal Plant Health Inspection Service), the government agency that oversees the operation of these facilities, does not require injury reports. Outside of the United States, regulations are even more lax. Your safety is assured by no one."Dolphins Plus has no control of the dolphins…in the facility and the [participant] assumes all risk of injury, damage or loss." Release form, Dolphins Plus (Florida dolphin interaction program) * Women and children are most often the targets for aggressive dolphin behaviors. "Out of the 24 reported cases of dolphin aggression in the last 5 years, 22 were directed toward females and the other two were young boys." - Sea World Ohio research data * Accidents happen. It is important to recognize that though some aggressive acts are intentional, many injuries are accidental. Yet another reason to stay out of the water! Dolphins can weigh from 300 to 1200 pounds-that's more than some horses weigh! At times, these big guys don't know their own strength or they just can't get out of the way in time to avoid a collision. In Florida, a man suffered broken ribs and a woman broke her arm when a dolphin that was approaching for an interaction passed too quickly between them. * Dolphins get hurt, too. Swim programs are harmful to the dolphins themselves. When forced to constantly submit to people's desires to be near and touch them, dolphins experience great levels of stress, which can then lead to significant health problems.
I was like 7 then, BTW
