Divers Riding Whale Shark

[IncreaseMyT]

A couple of people have mentioned that in the video there were too many divers and the way they interacted with the shark was not A+ etiquette, which BTW isn't even the video concerning the current topic. I can somewhat agree with some of those points, not how I would have done it personally. Nevertheless it was not over the top and it seemed more like exuberance than a lack of caring for the shark and at the end of the day the shark is fine.

It would be like a small child petting a dog and getting too excited and grabbing the dogs tail or even stepping on its paw. Not what I would have done but the dog is gonna be just fine. So now we should never let children pet dogs because they might "stress" the dog out? Its really one of the more neurotic arguments i've ever heard.

 

[caruso]

It would be like a small child petting a dog and getting too excited and grabbing the dogs tail or even stepping on its paw. Not what I would have done but the dog is gonna be just fine. So now we should never let children pet dogs because they might "stress" the dog out. Its really one of the more neurotic arguments i've ever heard.

Not a good analogy because a dog is a domesticated house pet which is bred, trained and has evolved to coexist with humans, it's not a wild animal. On some of your other points I have no issue.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

Not a good analogy because a dog is a domesticated house pet which is bred, trained and has evolved to coexist with humans, it's not a wild animal. On some of your other points I have no issue.

Its still the same thing, just because an animal is domesticated doesn't mean its behaviors are completely different. Many of the same characteristics. I compare sharks to dogs all the time because thats what they remind me of, and their behavior is very similar

 

[RockiesFan]

The issue is really simple. If the liveaboard and marine park have rules forbidding that kind of interaction, it would be prudent to follow said rules.

 

[caruso]

Its still the same thing, just because an animal is domesticated doesn't mean its behaviors are completely different

Again, I think you're falling short of making a good point. If you were to pull the tail on your Aunt Lilly's poodle you'd get quite a different result than you would if you did the same to a timber wolf.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

Again, I think you're falling short of making a good point. If you were to pull the tail on your Aunt Lilly's poodle you'd get quite a different result than you would if you did the same to a timber wolf.

Yea but we are not talking about the risk posed to the diver, just the shark. So its still within context. Maybe the wolf will bite you, but is he going to be emotionally scarred? No

 

[caruso]

Yea but we are not talking about the risk posed to the diver, just the shark. So its still within context. Maybe the wolf will bite you, but is he going to be emotionally scared? No

Ok, I see your point and it makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

The issue is really simple. If the liveaboard and marine park have rules forbidding that kind of interaction, it would be prudent to follow said rules.

Listen I get it, here at this place you can't interact with whale sharks. So yea just don't go there, and if you do I agree follow the rules.

My problem was with the witch hunters chanting "hang em!" to a group of divers that got over exuberant during a whale shark sighting, and with no ill intent did something they shouldn't have. Should we hang them or jail them? Absolutely not. We should also be more careful about putting these restrictions in place when we have ZERO evidence that these restrictions are meaningful.

 

[TMHeimer]

Just returned from 8 weeks away from SB. I knew there would be a ton of experts on this with all of them being right.

 

[Nick Steele]

I think Jail time for a first incidence is a little ridiculous but a nice fine is needed for sure. And multiple cases should result in jail time IMO.

@IncreaseMyT there have actually been some cases in Florida that have led to fines/jail time.

In 2013 or so a sperm whale was spotted near pompano pier in a bad state and soon died and washed up just north of Deerfield pier. Some people found it fun to go out and ride the whale as if it was a wave and they were surfing. NOAA actually sent the offender a letter stating the crimes he was commuting and I believe fines were later handed out.

I just seen on the news 3 people are currently being charged for being within 50 yards of feed bears inside some national park in the US (didn’t hear which park). They decided to walk out into the river while the bears were feeding on the salmon which clearly changed their feeding habits.

Regardless if the animals “suffers” riding a wild animal isn’t the right thing to do just because you can. Animals just as people need their own personal space. If the animal approaches you I’m game for reaching out and touching/interacting with it but not riding it.