Ban in Hawaii: Swimming with dolphins will soon be taboo

Swimming with dolphins is a popular tourist activity in Hawaii.

But now the US government has issued a ban on getting close to the marine mammals.

Swim with dolphins once - that is on the bucket list of many tourists.

At least in Hawaii, this will soon no longer be possible: The US government is legally implementing a ban on contact between humans and marine mammals.

From October 28, it will be forbidden to approach the spinner dolphins more than 50 meters near the coast, according to a statement from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA).

Hawaii: swimming with dolphins prohibited - what is still possible for tourists?

The new regulation therefore not only applies to

located within a radius of two nautical miles from the coast of the main Hawaiian islands and designated waters between the islands of Lāna'i, Maui and Kahoʻolawe.

In this way, for example, popular tourist activities such as dolphin watching or swimming with the marine mammals are to be prevented.

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However, vacationers do not have to do without the dolphins completely: As long as boats and people

keep a

from dolphins, dolphin and wildlife tours can continue to be made according to NOAA Fisheries.

However, if dolphins approach, no attempts may be made to interact with the animals.

Instead, boats and people should move away from them.

In order to prevent accidental encounters, NOAA Fisheries also calls for quiet times from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. in certain areas.

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Vacation in Hawaii: That is why tourists are no longer allowed to approach the dolphins

The ban is intended to protect the spinner dolphins in Hawaii.

The animals are nocturnal and use the time of day to

.

However, due to the observation by and interaction with people, their

, so that they are in a constant state of alertness.

This costs the marine mammals a lot of energy, which they normally have to spend on other important behaviors such as hunting.

Actually, according to the

Act,

it is

already forbidden to harass the animals.

So far, however, this has not been sufficient to prevent interaction between humans and dolphins.