Regulators in the US have banned swimming with Hawaii's spinner dolphins to protect the nocturnal animals from people seeking close encounters with the playful species.
Swimming with dolphins is a popular tourist activity in Hawaii. Several companies offer tours that take swimmers to areas frequented by dolphins with the aim of giving them an opportunity to get in the water with the animals.
On Tuesday the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ruled under the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits swimming with or getting within 46 metres of a spinner dolphin that is within 4 kilometres of the shore of the main Hawaiian Islands. The rule applies to boats, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, drones or other objects.
NOAA also is proposing a regulation that would prohibit entering certain areas between 6 am and 3 pm in parts of the Big Island and Maui that are considered essential daytime habitats for spinner dolphins.
Spinner dolphins hunt in offshore waters at night. During the day, they use areas close to shore that have optimal environmental conditions to socialise, nurture their young, hide from predators and rest in preparation for nightly hunting.
