.T^ai C 55.302: D 69 * V Dolphins not beg| but when peo- ple offer them food, dolphins, like most ani- mals, take the B^^^HB^r- easy way out. They learn to beg for a living, lose their fear of humans, and do dangerous things. "too close g boat and can be severe- ly injured. They learn to associate people with food and get entangled with fishing hooks and lines and die. They get sick from eat- ing bait and people food like beer, pret- zels, candy and hot dogs. Pennsylvania State University Libraries JUN 1 1 1997 Documents Collection U.S. Depository Cop/ Dolphin proof o feeding wild dolphin dis- rupts their social groups which threat- ens their abili- ty to survive in the wild. Young dolphins do not survive if their mothers compete with them for hand- outs and don't teach them to forage. Dozens of I been rep bites have and people have been pulled under the water. A woman who fed a pair of dolphins and then jumped in the water to swim with them was bitten. "I literally ripped my left leg out of its mouth," she said during her week stay in the hospital. Dolphins toys or [ the Flipper myth of a friendly wild dolphin has given us the wrong idea. Flipper was actually a trained, captive dolphin who did not bite the hand that fed him. However, truly wild dolphins will bite when they are angry, frustrated or afraid. When people try to swim with wild dolphins, the dolphins are disturbed. Dolphins who have become career moochers can get pushy, aggressive and threatening when they don't get the hand- out they expect. For all these reasons, it is against the law to feed or harass wild dophins. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibits the "taking" of marine mammals. The term "take" means to harass, hunt, capture, kill, or feed, or attempt any of these activities. Dolphins have a reputation for being [j however, they are really wild animals who should be treated with caution and respect. Interactions with people change the behavior of dolphins for the worse. They lose their natural wariness which makes them easy targets for vandalism and shark attacks. For the dolphins' sake, and for your safety, please don't feed, swim with or harm wild DOLPHINS. We encourage you to observe them in the wild from at least 50 yards. If you would like to get up close and personal with dolphins, the MMPA provides for the public display of cap- tive marine mammals. Contact the Office of Protected Resources for a list of facilities that hold dolphins. Office of Protected Resources National Marine Fisheries Service 1335 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-713-2289 http://kingfish.ssp.nmfs.gov/ Let the wild ones stay wild. NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hot Line 1-800-853-1964 P™ STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES A0DD031tT5S33 The maximum fine for violating the MMPA is $20,000 and one year in jail. ^^rV Grateful acknowledgment to Randall S. Wells, Chicago Zoological Society and Thomas M. Murphy, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for the photos provided.