Riding marine life

[CriticalMass]

Out in the open ocean with wild sea creatures, I pretty much use a look but don't touch policy.

I don't disagree with the "habituated" aspect of the Sea World animals, but I think most of the hysteria about direct interaction with wild animals is mostly political correctness, as is most of the rest of the inane crap that's become de rigueur these days.

My personal opinion is that hanging onto the fin or back (turtle) of a big creature for a ride isn't going to damage that creature's outlook on life, but I have a lot of respect for all the rest of the sea life that CAN be damaged by contact.

 

[CriticalMass]

Zealots bother me ..Self-appointed scuba police are almost always counter-productive. There are much more constructive ways of educating people

Concur completely.

This thread is SO full of BS from all the "save-the-whales" kids who learned their liberally-biased, politically-correct outlook on life in our government-funded school system. It's not even close to any realistic world-view.

The mainstream mentality nowadays is that we all need to "save the children", "cure AIDS", solve the "hunger problem", all that crap. This "ride the creatures" hysteria is just one more goofy affectation of all this.

The "creatures" don't even notice.

 

[CriticalMass]

during a shark feed, i reached out and stroked the side of one. i couldnt help myself. other than that incident i dont touch unless by accident

The SCUBA Authorities will soon be in contact with you.

 

[Rhone Man]

I find it even more interesting how people deny the possibility that animals have emotions and sensibilities. Certainly other animals don't begin to approach human mental capacity in areas such as reasoning, projecting outcomes, or abstractions. But emotions and feelings don't require such higher thought processes. Based on available evidence, emotions arise from lower regions of the brain that are perfectly well developed in animals. I have a strong suspicion that a territorial fish really is 'offended' when I infringe on its territory and it feints at me or bites me in an obvious attempt to drive me away, or that a dog is actually 'happy' when invited for a walk. If it has every appearance of an emotional reaction, why would I assume the creature feels nothing just because the creature can't do algebra?

I think the reverse is true. People try to project human emotions onto animals (and even inanimate objects) without any basis. Some people will tell you that a lobster "screams" when you drop it alive into boiling water. It doesn't. That is the sound of the steam rapidly escaping through the shell. In fact, they have no nervous system which is capable of sensory pain. But still people persist because they believe it must be cruel to drop a living animal into boiling water...

 

[The Chairman]

That is the sound of the steam rapidly escaping through the shell.

No offense, but that would make just about anybody scream.

 

[rjack321]

These animals have a mind of their own. No, they're not pets ... nor do I want them to be. But if they don't feel threatened, they are often curious. I see no harm in interaction, as long as it respects the animal's ability to flee if it so chooses. We ... like they ... are a part of this world. Interactions with other inhabitants of our environment are part of life. Besides, if you think we stress 'em out ... think how they feel when approached by a ling cod or other predator ...

Depending on the circumstances, the act of fleeing can use up enough energy to kill the critter you're trying to enjoy. Bison and moose in winter for instance. I can imagine disturbing octopus on eggs could lead to an earlier demise of the parent (since they don't eat at this time and just defend & aerate their eggs) Thus exposing the almost hatched eggs to greater predation.

So the capacity to flee does not equal harm free.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

.....There are many times that touching a critter will do no harm and numerous times where the critter will initiate the contact. There is a quite a big difference between molesting critters and touching most divers can tell the difference.

I bascially agree with this (and similar posts).... HOWEVER: A gentle touch or stroke as a sea creature passes you is one thing..... a GRAB AND RIDE is an entirely different beast.

If you are not sure if your interaction with the "critter" has the potential for harm, just look.

Sea turtles: We have lots of them here at my favorite dive site in Hilo... I'll often see over a dozen very large turtles every dive. They are friendly, will often come up to divers, and are fun to watch. The reason they are so plentiful and "tame" is that we follow a "look but do not touch" rule (and they are protected by law here, at least as far as hunting goes).

I do not think a gentle touch or stroke of their shell would bother them... but I still refrain.

Grab a turtle? No.

Ride one? Absolutley Not.

Best wishes.

 

[Splitlip]

Don't know everything about all critters..

YouTube - Sea Cucumber expelling its intestines

I'll let the "experts" here with their opinions tell me if this is good for the animal.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

 

[Splitlip]

Very bad for the Ray.