#wild dolphin

[flukesandflorida]

"The Bluest Waters"

The ocean is full of so much wonder. What a beautiful piece of God's creation it is!

[cetuselena]

Risso’s Dolphin.

4/1/2018

[creatures1575]

I finally got to see them in their natural environment. One of the best days of my life and I am so thankful these wild animals graced us with their presence. I have way more footage but the video will be too long to upload so I will put that up on youtube in a little while.

[cetuselena]

Risso’s dolphin side breach.

4/1/2018

[flukesandflorida]

Dolphin in the Little Homosassa River! I know it’s not a very spectacular photo, but at least I can say I saw a dolphin there!

I believe this photo shows just how special of a place the Nature Coast is. It’s a location where you can watch wildlife in their natural habitat, in wild, mostly undeveloped coastline. It’s a very special place to me, and helping to preserve and keep areas like this trash free is something that I find very important. :)

[cetuselena]

PWSD gif.

[flukesandflorida]

Watching Wild Dolphins From a Distance Isn’t Just Better For the Animals - It’s Better For You, Too!

When most people go dolphin watching, they automatically assume that trying to drive your boat as close to the dolphins as possible will provide you with the coolest experience. However, this isn’t always true.

For one thing, approaching, chasing, or in any way harassing wild dolphins is illegal in the United States, and, obviously, receiving a hefty fine for illegally approaching a wild dolphin wouldn’t be a fun experience. There are other reasons why hanging back and giving wild dolphins space is much better than trying to get up close and personal, too - dolphins are wild animals, and, contrary to what you may have seen displayed on fictional TV shows, movies, and cartoons, wild dolphins do not usually seek to play and interact with people. It has happened before, but overall, this is a pretty uncommon experience. In general, when boaters approach or chase wild dolphins, the animals will flee. 

When you keep a distance, though, the dolphins will often pay little attention to your boat, and you may be privileged with the opportunity to witness their natural behavior. Because lobtailing, spyhopping, porpoising, jumping, and breaching are all natural behaviors that dolphins commonly display when undisturbed and left to socialize, hunt, play, etc. with each other, this is definitely a good thing! 

Dolphin double breach in the Matanzas River, Florida! Give dolphins their space, and there’s a much better chance that you will have the opportunity to witness similar natural behaviors

A great alternative to attempting to approach wild dolphins is to purchase a pair of binoculars, or a telephoto lens for your camera. By using binoculars or longer camera lenses, you can get an up close view of wild dolphins while at the same time keeping your boat a safe distance away! 

The next time you go on a dolphin watching trip, be sure to obey the law and stay a reasonable distance from wild dolphins - it’s not only better and safer for the animals, it will likely provide you with more memorable experience as well!

[creatures1575]

pic from last Sunday