Featured Image Credit: SWNS
Topics: Animals
Jess Battison
There is a terrifying truth about dolphins after the one recently seen ‘playing with a family’ here in the UK has taken a sinister turn.
Reggie the dolphin became a bit of a local legend after he went viral for his interactions with humans in Lyme Bay, Dorset. But experts have warned people to stay away from the bottlenose dolphin, both for his and their own good.
The seemingly friendly animal had been filmed ‘playing’ with a family and rolling over for ‘belly rubs’ at the coastal UK area, with them having described it as a magical moment.
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Things have escalated, though, as a sinister update revealed that Reggie has apparently been ‘targeting women in wetsuits’ as he repeatedly pushed one’s head under water as he kept jumping on her.
It’s important to remember that while they may be playful, dolphins are still wild animals.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has warned the public to keep away from the lone dolphin as it said human interaction can cause the creatures to lose their natural wariness, leading to ‘injury or death’.
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The Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) also says there are ‘serious concerns’ for public safety after Reggie’s ‘rapid’ behavioural change.
It explains that when a dolphin isn’t given ‘due consideration and respect, interactions can escalate', which can potentially ‘result in injury or death for either party’.
Dolphins are pretty playful and friendly as a stereotype, but they’re still powerful and have strong jaws and sharp teeth. So, if something startles them or they perceive something to be a threat, it could cause accidental injuries, or worse.
Plus, there can be health risks, as with all wild animals, dolphins can carry diseases that can be passed on to humans.
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There is also a great risk to dolphins by spending too much time around humans, as mentioned by the experts. Getting overly used to human interaction can put them in danger of being hit by boats or propellers.
While it’s not common, there is the terrifying reality that dolphins have been known to attack people.
A 10-year-old British girl was previously attacked during a ‘swimming with dolphins’ experience in Cancun, Mexico. She was bit and dragged underwater by the two captive dolphins.
It’s also particularly rare that these attacks lead to death, but in 1994, a dolphin took a turn after regularly interacting with humans in a friendly manner in São Sebastião, Brazil.
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Known as Tião, it’s believed that he had grown frustrated and aggressive from the constant interaction as people attempted to ride him.
“The dolphin reacted aggressively when repeatedly harassed and injured about 29 bathers, who were sent to the hospital with minor injuries,” reports a paper published in Marine Mammal Science.
“On 8 December, 1994, 'Tião' struck a 30-year-old bather who died several hours later from internal bleeding due to a stomach rupture, according to 'Casa de Saúde Stella Maris,' the local hospital.”