Swimming with dolphins

This article is about the activity of swimming with dolphins. For the electronica band, see Swimming With Dolphins (band).
Human pulled along by captive dolphin

The popularity of swimming with dolphins increased in the 1980s and 1990s, occurring in over 65 countries,[1] both as a form of therapy as well as a tourist activity.[1][2] Proponents of dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) say that interacting with dolphins can help to treat mental and physical disorders in humans, but there is limited clinical evidence proving its benefits.[3][4] Marine parks and other tourist destinations offering "swim-with-dolphin" experiences have also promoted the purported healing attributes of dolphins.[5] Opponents argue that interactions between humans and dolphins have had a negative impact on dolphin populations both in the wild and in captivity,[6] and that the practice can be dangerous for humans.[4] Concerns over animal welfare have led to bans on swimming with dolphins in Costa Rica,[7] as well as certain locations in New Zealand and Hawaii.[6][8]

  1. ^ a b Orams, Mark B (August 1997). "Historical accounts of human-dolphin interaction and recent developments in wild dolphin based tourism in Australasia". Tourism Management. 18 (5): 317–326. doi:10.1016/S0261-5177(96)00022-2.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Bekoff, Marc (January 27, 2021). "Is Dolphin-Assisted Therapy Actually Therapy? A scholarly review of available data strongly suggests it's not". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  4. ^ a b Maron, Dina Fine (August 11, 2021). "Inside the murky world of dolphin therapy". National Geographic. Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Mercer, Phil (August 29, 2019). "New Zealand bans swimming with dolphins". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2022-10-13 – via Gale OneFile.
  7. ^ "New law bans swimming with dolphins". Daily Telegraph. August 13, 2005. Retrieved 2022-10-21 – via Gale OneFile.
  8. ^ "Swimming With Dolphins In Hawaii Now Banned, Newest Addition To Protect Island". International Business Times. October 2, 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-13 – via Gale OneFile.