In most cases, dolphins (both captive and wild) are typically not dangerous unless provoked or agitated by a human.
Most dolphins are curious, approachable, and friendly and get along very well with humans.
Some dolphins love interacting with and being fed by people and often approach small boats to interact with them.
In marine parks and aquariums, dolphins are often approached by people who will play with them and let people pet them.
It is essential to remember that feeding dolphins may be prohibited in some locations, especially when providing dolphins in their natural habitat (noncaptive dolphins).
These marine mammals are protected species, and anything that could interfere with their life (including feeding them) may be considered illegal.
In addition to being friendly, there have also been cases of dolphins protecting humans from shark attacks and situations where a dolphin or several dolphins helped lead a lost person back to land.
On the other hand, there have been several cases where killer whales (the killer whale is the largest animal in the dolphin family) that were held in captivity grabbed onto a trainer’s clothing, hair or limbs during training or a show and pulled them underwater; however, in these cases, the killer whale never tried to consume or eat the trainer.
In these cases, a killer whale may become agitated due to being confined, separated from other killer whales, and unintentionally provoked by a trainer.
Killer whales are highly social and love to live in large pods with other killer whales, so isolating them can cause stress and aggressive behavior, even if treated with the best care possible.
Because of these incidents, trainers can no longer operate in a tank with killer whales while performing at marine shows, and these attacks are rare.
However, they are worth pointing out that when a dolphin is agitated and threatened, whether intentionally or unintentionally, it will defend itself and fight back.
Despite their size (some killer whales may grow to be 25 ft. or longer), they have never tried to eat or consume a person either wholly or partially.
It is assumed that these dolphins either have no desire for the taste of humans or have a social code of conduct that prohibits them from eating humans.
Most other species of dolphin do not and could not eat marine mammals and thus would not be able to eat us.
In regards to killer whales in the wild, there are only a handful of known cases where a killer whale attacked a human, and once the killer whale realized it was not a part of their diet, they quickly gave up attacking the person.
Dolphins are extremely intelligent marine mammals that enjoy social interaction with one another and, in some cases, whales that they perceive as friendly and non-threatening.
Because of their high intelligence and friendly demeanor, dolphins have been trained at marine shows to perform amazing acrobatic feats and by the military to locate underwater explosives and people who have been lost at sea.
Enjoyed this article? Then be sure to check out the following articles.