The DATA Project: Divers Against Touching Animals

[DiveTheGalapagos]

It seems the practice of touching sharks, rays and other marine life is growing at a frightening rate. YouTube is flooded with videos of people riding and touching marine life, not only the completely irresponsible types such as those who made a Shark Rodeo video, but also those who could be / are leaders in the dive community. Setting an example of touching animals could not only damage them short term, but long term could change their response to divers. They may grow to fear us whereas now, they don’t. Imagine the difference if hundreds of thousands of divers (or even millions) begin to pick up this irresponsible practice?

We need to ‘begin within’ and self-disclipline against this practice NOW! This does not require money…just a willingness to express your belief and then you’re on the honor system. It is our hope that divers think first of the animals they have the privilege of visiting and pledge to treat them with the respect they deserve rather than project human emotion on them in order to indulge our own human desire to physically interact.

If you feel the same, please join our Facebook group to be counted in the collective voice against touching marine animals.

The DATA Project: Divers Against Touching Animals The DATA Project: Divers Against Touching Animals | Facebook

 

[freeroaminggypsy]

I joined this facebook group a few weeks ago, responses posted on the wall of the group are really interesting... Please take the time to read them!

Great to see so many divers support this cause!

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

An interesting solicitation for help was just posted by a grad student doing her thesis on: The Effectiveness of Environmental Communication with Scuba Divers: A Case Study Comparing the Curricula of BSAC, PADI, and SSI Open Water Diver Certification Courses.

She is surveying certified scuba divers about their knowledge of low impact diving practices. Interesting to see the outcome, no? I hope you all go fill our her survey. You can see it directly here.

 

[LRobbins]

I've just signed this. It's great to bring awareness to this issue since it's one of my biggest pet peeves and I see at least one diver try it on almost every dive I do.

 

[LRobbins]

An interesting solicitation for help was just posted by a grad student doing her thesis on: The Effectiveness of Environmental Communication with Scuba Divers: A Case Study Comparing the Curricula of BSAC, PADI, and SSI Open Water Diver Certification Courses.

She is surveying certified scuba divers about their knowledge of low impact diving practices. Interesting to see the outcome, no? I hope you all go fill our her survey. You can see it directly here.

Very cool, please share the results with us once she's finished.