Swimmers Told to Avoid Dolphins After Spate of Attacks

Swimmers in Japan have been told to avoid dolphins after a spate of attacks by the animals.

Officials have said that four swimmers have so far been injured by dolphins off Suishohama beach near Mihama. One 60-year-old man was left with broken ribs and bite marks on his hands after a dolphin rammed into him on July 16, according to officials, as reported by the BBC. On the same day, a man in his 40s was bitten on the arm in the same coastal area. Two others have also been injured.

Dolphins are usually friendly and gentle creatures, but they can cause serious damage to humans. The aquatic mammals can occasionally become aggressive towards people when they are provoked or threatened.

Although swimming with dolphins is often romanticized, and even sold as a popular tourist activity at some parks, studies have found that the animals find the practice very stressful. In the wild, swimming alongside dolphins can disrupt their natural habitat, which can cause them to become irritated. Attacks in the wild are not common, and they are more likely to become aggressive when in captivity, because of the stresses they endure.

Dolphins are large animals and incredibly strong with very sharp teeth that can easily damage human skin if bitten. They also tend to snap their jaws in defense, which can cause serious injuries to swimmers.

Signs have been put up near the beach to warn people of the angry dolphins to prevent future attacks. A Japanese official, quoted by Asahi Shimbun, one of the four largest newspapers in the country, said that, if dolphins are seen, swimmers should not go into the water.

A 2010 study that focused on dolphin tours off the coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania, found that when people tried to interact with the animals, the dolphins became very unsettled.

There have been several other incidents involving aggressive dolphins around the world. Last year, one specific animal in Japan was causing a multitude of attacks. Local media outlet Fukui Shimbun Online reported at the time that two people were even injured just hours apart. They were taken to hospital after being bitten by the dolphin.

And, in February this year, a woman was swimming in a river in Santa Rosa de Yacuma, Bolivia, when a river dolphin bit her foot. The animal peeled off a chunk of flesh, exposing the bone.

Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about dolphins? Let us know via nature@newsweek.com.