Girl Bitten by Dolphin at Sea World!

[goofyfigment]

Sorry i hit send too soon. Do you have to sign a release to feed the dolphins

[Luv2CtheMouse]

I am sorry this happened to her, but to seem shocked that a dolphin could bite while dangling a fish for him??.....DUH! I am sure the family will sue...

I hope the little girl is ok.

[Escape Artist]

Originally Posted by Luv2CtheMouse

I am sorry this happened to her, but to seem shocked that a dolphin could bite while dangling a fish for him??.....DUH! I am sure the family will sue...

I hope the little girl is ok.

You need to watch the video. After the girl was *finished* feeding the dolphins, she lifted up her paper tray where the dolphin could see it. Lifting the trays is against the rules, and incited the incident.

We don't like to blame children for their immature actions, but she did wrong and the dolphin behaved predictably. My dogs at home would do the same thing.

[angelmom27]

That part that makes me think they will sue is at the end when they are trying to hide the camera and move her hand in front of it. You can hear them say we just want to see what it looks like. Yeah so you can have evidence to try and sue.

[angelmom27]

Originally Posted by goofyfigment

Sorry i hit send too soon. Do you have to sign a release to feed the dolphins

No there is no release to feed the dolphins.

[RabFlmom]

Originally Posted by angelmom27

No there is no release to feed the dolphins.

I am trying to remember what the signs say when you buy the fish.....buying the fish may imply the consent.
Was looking for a picture but so far none of the sign s found.

[Capt_BJ]

I first fed the dolphins at Orlando Sea World nearly 35 years ago. The park was not new, & there were other SW parks b4 Orlando ... It is IMPOSSIBLE for me to believe that this is the first time a child has been accidentally bitten by one of these animals.

I work at an attration where we too have hand feeding of some large animals. Accidental contact happens - a lot!

So what's different?

YOUTUBE!

What are we going to do? Close down every petting zoo because the goats chew loose shoe laces?

[trouttigger]

When I watched the youtube video, at the end, another video of another girl being bitten came up. So, no, not the first time. I watched it also, and it was another example of a child acting thoughtlessly and not being corrected by the parent.

[Jenny3]

Wow. I sure do hope the girl is okay, but this would not have happened if she would have followed the rules! Or if the parents made sure she did.

I find it ridiculous that the parents are saying there should be an age limit on this attraction. Their daughter was 8. Not 2, FCOL. An 8 y/o is old enough to understand rules, follow directions and have respect for the animals. Which is what this is. An animal. With teeth.

I really hope they don't sue.

Edited to add that after watching the video again, it bugs me that the mom tells the girl that "we won't show anyone" her hand after the girl doesn't want to. Then puts it on youtube. Jerk

[Capt_BJ]

I find it redic' that major news organizations flew the family to New York to appear on TV and sensationalize the non-issue . . . the family has already made a profit from their st ...... sorry change that to actions.

[PetePanMan]

dolphins are viscious and will kill if given the opportunity. They are very patient and will wait for you to lift your tray

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Originally Posted by PetePanMan

dolphins are viscious and will kill if given the opportunity. They are very patient and will wait for you to lift your tray

Just out of curiosity......was this said jokingly, or were you serious? On the internet, its often hard to tell if someone is speaking tongue-in-cheek or from the heart.

Certainly all wild animals should be respected. When humans are interacting, they need to exhibit a large degree of care to ensure not only our own safety, but also that of the animal. I would demonstrate the same amount of care around a cat or a dog of whom I am unfamiliar with their temperment. I have also been the recipient of a good scratch or bite from a certain fluffy feline whom I know like the back of my hand.....because she's an animal. And well, sometimes (gasp!) she acts like one. In her OWN DEFENCES. Not necessarily to "attack" or with the intent to purposely harm.

I honestly don't believe that the dolphins in the SW feeding pool are simply vicious killers waiting to snag their next victim when the unwitting human inadvertently waives an empty fish tray in the air. I think that poor dolphin was as excited as the little girl and took the opportunity to snatch at the tray in search of more fish. I think that dolphin was guilty of being a glutton, but not of a vicious attack.

Can they (or would they) kill in other circumstances? I have no doubt. But in this controlled habitat? I cannot think that SW would put ANY dolphin in that situation that has exhibited aggressive behaviour. It would be senseless for them to set themselves up for that kind of liability.

Dolphins have much more reason to fear vicious humans than the other way around, IMHO. Our species seems to be the more dangerous of the two.

[CAStevens218]

When we fed the dolphins a few years ago, I couldn't even being to count how many times they announced not to lift the tray. The poor employees working the attraction spent the whole time telling people to put their trays down...even after they were told multiple times! People just don't listen...it was unbelievable!

Maybe they could put some kind of permanent container there and fill each one with fish before the feeding time, that way they couldn't pick it up?

[angelmom27]

Originally Posted by CAStevens218

When we fed the dolphins a few years ago, I couldn't even being to count how many times they announced not to lift the tray. The poor employees working the attraction spent the whole time telling people to put their trays down...even after they were told multiple times! People just don't listen...it was unbelievable!

Maybe they could put some kind of permanent container there and fill each one with fish before the feeding time, that way they couldn't pick it up?

I was thinking the same thing. Like a small bucket that could hang from a hook attached to the wall. Also would cut back on waste of throwing away a thousand little paper containers.

[PetePanMan]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

Just out of curiosity......was this said jokingly, or were you serious? On the internet, its often hard to tell if someone is speaking tongue-in-cheek or from the heart.

Certainly all wild animals should be respected. When humans are interacting, they need to exhibit a large degree of care to ensure not only our own safety, but also that of the animal. I would demonstrate the same amount of care around a cat or a dog of whom I am unfamiliar with their temperment. I have also been the recipient of a good scratch or bite from a certain fluffy feline whom I know like the back of my hand.....because she's an animal. And well, sometimes (gasp!) she acts like one. In her OWN DEFENCES. Not necessarily to "attack" or with the intent to purposely harm.

I honestly don't believe that the dolphins in the SW feeding pool are simply vicious killers waiting to snag their next victim when the unwitting human inadvertently waives an empty fish tray in the air. I think that poor dolphin was as excited as the little girl and took the opportunity to snatch at the tray in search of more fish. I think that dolphin was guilty of being a glutton, but not of a vicious attack.

Can they (or would they) kill in other circumstances? I have no doubt. But in this controlled habitat? I cannot think that SW would put ANY dolphin in that situation that has exhibited aggressive behaviour. It would be senseless for them to set themselves up for that kind of liability.

Dolphins have much more reason to fear vicious humans than the other way around, IMHO. Our species seems to be the more dangerous of the two.

sorry, just kidding