33 People Face Legal Action For Harassing Dolphins In Hawaii
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources in Hawaii has filed 33 people to U.S. law enforcement after they were reported allegedly harassing a pod of wild dolphins in waters off the Big Island.
It is unlawful to swim within 50 yards of spinner dolphins in Hawaii's nearshore waters.This rule was put in place in 2021 to protect the nocturnal animals from being disturbed during the day.
The rule applies to coastal areas within 2 nautical miles of the Hawaiian Islands and in designated waters surrounded by the islands of Lanai, Maui and Kahoolawe.
The enforcement officers stumbled upon the 33 swimmers in Honaunau Bay on Sunday during a routine patrol, and aerial footage captured by drone shows snorkelers following dolphins as they swim away.
The department's video and photos suggest swimmers "who appear to be aggressively pursuing, corralling and harassing the pod."
Uniformed officers met the swimmers on land where state and federal officials launched a joint investigation into the incident.
Hawaii's spinner dolphins feed on fish and small crustaceans after sunset, and rest during the day to restore energy for night time foraging again.
To avoid deep sea predators during the day, the dolphins prefer shallow bays where they can rest and hide.
Although the dolphins may appear to be awake during the day, they actually sleep by resting half of their brains and keeping the other half awake to surface and breathe, meaning they may be sleeping even when they're maneuvering through the water.