Do Not Touch

[KrisB]

desiredbard... I too, disagree with your stats, especially as they apply to "getting a reaction" out of marine life.

While I don't have a problem with some touching (e.g. picking up a starfish to look at the bottom, then setting it down in exactly the same spot), I *DO* have a problem with people that intentionally cause an animal to display defense mechanisms, ESPECIALLY within the confines of a protected area.

So, my suggestion to you is simple: pick up a couple fish (and other sea life) books specific to the areas you're diving. Read about the fishes in the book, and take note of anything that has a noteworthy defense mechanism. And definitely don't touch it.

This goes for the sea cucumbers that drbill mentioned, and the puffer, and the parrotfish... remember that by provoking this behaviour, you are doing two things: you're changing the natural behaviour of the creature; and you're potentially creating a bad situation for them, if, once you swim away, they haven't gone back to normal.

I'll just throw this out there -- I'm not too picky about my buddy selection, but there are two things that will get you on my "no-buddy" list: 1. unsafe behaviour; 2. illegal behaviour. So far, all three of the people on my list are from a specific dive op -- two offenders of rule #2, and one of rule #1. Oddly enough, the two #2's were both due to the handling (and intentional "harm") of marine creatures in a marine life conservation district.

 

[frogoutofwater]

And it's not just the underwater life we should respect and leave alone. When I was at Heron Island (Australia) about 18 months ago, I was shocked and saddened to see the consequences of an unthinking guest's treatment of a bird. As some of you might know, Heron Island is a coral cay on the Great Barrier reef. Guests on the island share the above-water space with, sometimes, thousands of birds (a hat is a must). One day, I was relaxing by the small, nearly empty pool. Nearby were several Black Noddies, foraging in the shrubs surrounding the pool. Suddenly, a swimmer who had been watching the birds decided to splash a curtain of water over one of the birds. He did it very deliberately. I saw him do it, and I saw him laugh. Ha ha. I don't know exactly why it happened, but effect of dousing that bird in water caused its feathers to mat up, a swarm of nasty large flies landed on its back, sticking to it, and, over the course of about 30 minutes, the bird died a slow death. When I realised (after about 10 minutes) that the bird was in distress, I went to summon one of the staff members, who then went to get one of the ecologists. She told me that they have a hands-off policy, and this meant that they couldn't help the bird; nature would have to take its course. Too bad the unthinking swimmer had already left the scene - I would have liked to sit him down and make him watch the bird die.

 

[isurus]

A puffer would not be considered dangerous though, I mean Hamas tactics do not scare a diver of.

tell that to the diver who lost a finger p~ssing one off last year. They've got serious teeth and will use them.

All I want is a simple short or long list of fish that are often manhandled by lets say DM's and which could result in serious consequences for the fish. And will enable a newby to say no. If a DM wants to tickle a moray under its chin...so be it.

(4 bloody pages so far and not an answer yet, guess what I am thinking right now)

Handling any fish or animal could result in serious consequences for the fish. Many have mucous thta if lost can lead to infection, interaction can expose them to predators etc etc. thats why you're not getting an answer.

 

[jpsexton]

I just got a DVD in the mail from the Fort Lauderdale tourist center. I was surprised to see the divers in the video feeding Morays, Barracudas, Rays, Groupers, and Nurse Sharks. The DM was even hugging and petting this huge Moray. The narrator said this is the only place in the US that does interactive marine dives. It just did'nt look safe to me. Later on in the video it shows a couple of divers catching a puffer and holding him till he puffed up. He sure did'nt look happy about it at all. The last thing in the video that surprised me was these divers doing a swim through that was obviously too small, squeezing in and brushing up against fans and corals to get through the small opening in the reef. I'm suprised the fans did'nt break off.

 

[Amazon]

Amazon, those crabs are out there parading around because they want you to pick them up. The crabs are likely evading a hungry octopus, and hoping that the suckerarmed brute will be deceived into thinking that you are a protective big crab .

Is your avatar an Orange Winged Amazon? Actually, "Agilis" is taken from the specific name "Amazona agilis", the Jamaican Black Billed parrot. One of these small but feisty Amazons has been living with me since a couple of Maroons from Quickstep felled its nesting tree, almost 30 years ago. This is the longest relationship I've ever had.

agilis
I feel so much better knowing that I am the protector of "crab nation" Or...does that mean I have octopus bait? Would love to see one (just kidding..about the bait part, I do want to see an octopus)

You are correct! She is an Orange Wing Amazon. She's 11 now. I've had her since she was "little". She was hand raised, and almost weaned on one feeding a day when she came home. She can be rather demanding, and...um...vocal. But she's a sweetheart, too. We also have a Black Capped Caique (6). He can be quite vocal too, but he's very playful.

Wow- 30 years ago! So, in "amazon years"..he/she is still young! It was very kind of you to adopt him/her :yelclap:

 

[agilis]

Amazon, I was ambivalant about "adopting" the little fuzzball, not having any prior experience with birds. The sibling was already dead, parents gone, so I fed her baby cereal with a spoon mushed up with soft bananas. I became mama, and the little thing would run to me across the floor every time I walked in the room (I was living near UWI Mona in Jamaica), following close behind demanding to be picked up and fed. "gak-gak-gak-gak!!!" Sometimes, she'd cry in her sleep, and had learned to imitate my voice. There was no way I could leave her when I returned home a few months later. Fortunately, I was working for the government at the time, so bringing her in was easy, back in those long-lost innocent days. She can be noisy, but only when she is alone. She demands company most of the time.

Do not fear octopuses, other than the venomous Australian Blue-Ringed. Don't try to touch them, because they can and do bite with a nasty, parrot-like(!) beak, and if they don't the righteous divers out there will surely bite you with theirs. Octopuses often like to play, extending their amazingly sensitive but strong sucker arms from a secure den, and checking you out. Always on their terms. Wonderful, wonderful animals, and way smarter than most scuba divers I've known.

 

[Zorrr2]

"99.8" . . . Sorry old boy but you are wayyyyyyyy off base on those stats and thinking I am afraid !
I was taught and have been teaching to all students (for YEARS) that we are to TOUCH NOTHING . . PERIOD ! As inocent as you make it sound, any touch on our part can have deadly ramifications . . not only for the creature . . but for us as well !
It pisses me off seeing some individuals direguard the "NO TOUCH" concept and I have on more than one ocassion had a chat after to let them know that this is WRONG.

Your list at the beginning is impressive . . and even more of a reason to NOT TOUCH !!
And one correction . . the TEXTILE CONE SHELL does not "FIRE A DART" . . it does have a long stinger which it fires out to defend its self (when distirbed . . hint . . hint) and yes it is DEADLY POISON . . but it is a long needle that stays attached.

You knew this would catch greef for this statement from the start. Now if you were to turn your stats around . . say 99.8 "DO NOT TOUCH" . . and the .2% are the "Ignorant A_s H__les" . . then yes . . I may agree with you.

 

[erparamedic]

"99.8" . . . Sorry old boy but you are wayyyyyyyy off base on those stats and thinking I am afraid !
I was taught and have been teaching to all students (for YEARS) that we are to TOUCH NOTHING . . PERIOD ! As inocent as you make it sound, any touch on our part can have deadly ramifications . . not only for the creature . . but for us as well !
It pisses me off seeing some individuals direguard the "NO TOUCH" concept and I have on more than one ocassion had a chat after to let them know that this is WRONG.

You knew this would catch greef for this statement from the start. Now if you were to turn your stats around . . say 99.8 "DO NOT TOUCH" . . and the .2% are the "Ignorant A_s H__les" . . then yes . . I may agree with you.

Zorrr2--- AMEN to your post!! I agree completely!

Desiredbard-- It appears that you are new to SB, however, If you would peruse the board, you will see MANY, MANY, MANY posts about how environmentally friendly the vast majority of posters are... and this includes the no touch thing. You must have had at least some *slight* inkling that the original post would not get the desired results. It should seem obvious, after 5 pages, that you are not going to get the info that you are asking for!! And, in the process, I think it (IMHO) would *probably* be safe to say that you aren't gaining any friendships and/or potential dive buddies... in the process of compiling a list of things that one *might* or *might not* be able to touch. It's simple, really, it is.... JUST DON'T TOUCH OR MOLEST!!

Now... I'm not trying to stir up anything... just trying to state what I see. One should consider it an honor to be blessed enough to even enter the underwater world.

Just think (hypothetically for a moment)... and put yourself in the "fishes fins" for a moment.... if fish could visit our world... you wouldn't want them to poke holes in our houses to be able to "see us better"... or to sting us/poison us to "hear us scream or see our facial expressions"... or even have a whole school of fish block the entrance to our home (or workplace, etc) and watch the robber mug us or worse. Hmmm... that wouldn't seem fair now would it? Well, if you touch or molest the fishies... you are doing the same thing!

OK... off my soapbox now!

 

[friscuba]

All I want is a simple short or long list of fish that are often manhandled by lets say DM's and which could result in serious consequences for the fish. And will enable a newby to say no. If a DM wants to tickle a moray under its chin...so be it.

The simple short answer is do not touch and you will not be endangered.

The bigger picture is... Touching does not benefit the fish, and more often than not causes harm. Fish have a body slime which is their primary defense against parasites and disease. You touch it, you remove it. You are not doing fish a favor by touching them.

 

[Wayward Son]

Now how am I supposed to put them on a stringer if I don't touch them?