there have been a few cases of dolphins killing or injuring humans but usually they will not harm humans, unless endangered.

I can't see dolphins attacing humans, they will if they are aggresive, they are intelligent creatures, they will be hostile at first, but they are usually freindly.

Actually, there might have been a few rare cases of a dolphin harming a human, but usually by accident, or because the dolphin went "mad". But, dolphins actually are used in therapy for mentally and physically challenged people, which i thought was pretty interesting.

Yeah, they keep getting caught in my tuna net.

Yes they most certainly can. Caution always needs to be exercised near ANY wild animal, including dolphins. Don't forget that dolphins are predatory animals and definitely have a violent streak that the public never hear about (or don't want to hear about). For some reason, people just don't like to think that dolphins are rough, aggressive animals. The reality is that dolphins can have a very aggressive nature - mainly the Bottlenose, at that. In the wild, infanticide (the killing of infants), forced copulation, kidnappings, rather brutal killings of porpoises and other dolphins, bites etc are all common behavior. Look on any openminded website about dolphins and you will find stacks upon stacks of evidence and information about this side of dolphins. Infact, the Bottlenose dolphin, the species that played "flipper" is thought by many scientists to be the most aggressive species. There are many documented attacks by wild dolphins on humans (such as people being dragged underwater, pulled out to sea, being sexually harrassed by a dolphin, being bitten, being rammed, tail-slapped etc). Many cases have happened when humans have tried to touch a wild dolphin, got in the way of feeding dolphins or gotten near a group with baby dolphins among them but there have been a few that have happened that were seemingly unprovoked (however, most animals will only attack when there is a reason...it's just that sometimes as humans we don't know what that is). BUT there are countless attacks by captive dolphins (bites, lacerations, internal bleeding, fractures, broken bones, diseases etc). This doesn't take away from the fact that they are amazing animals, it just means that they are no different from any other wild animal and they need to always be treated for what they are...WILD animals. There is a misconception due to the "Flipper" phenomenon and places today like Seaworld, sequariums etc that push this false image that dolphins are these benign, gentle, fun-loving creatures that love human beings. Although dolphins can sometimes be these things, this has lead to people treating them as if they were pets and not using the natural caution we all usually use around wild animals. The public are being miseducated on what dolphins are really like. Dolphins are not all love, joy, happiness and friendliness. They are extremely large (mostly) and very powerful animals that are predators with a mouth full of sharp teeth. They need to be respected. This isn't to say that if you jump in the water with wild dolphins you're in danger...it just means you need to read behavior, keep your distance, be sensible and don't force yourself amongst a group of dolphins...let them interact with you if THEY want to. If humans don't respect them and think they're just giant 'teddybears', they are the people that really shouldn't be around dolphins.

Under normal circumstances a dolphin will not harm a human on purpose. If they feel threatened they will like an creature and defend themselves. If they are staving they may even attack. But unless something is wrong they will not go out of their way to cause harm to a human.

1) "Are dolphins potentially dangerous? Yes. Can dolphins harm humans? Yes. Could a dolphin kill a human? Yes. How long will it be before a human involved in a DAT program is fatally injured by a dolphin? Only time will tell." "Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) is now an unregulated and unchecked business that is more about money than science. There is very little evidence to support the so-called medical benefits of DAT and there is more evidence that supports the claim that DAT is nothing more than another medical miracle sham with possible dangerous consequences." SOurce: http://members.tripod.com/tiggerdolphin/DAT.html 2) "National Geographic aired this sensationalizing film on 08/12/06: Dolphins kill Humans! National Geographics aired on 8/12/06 a film about dolphins being killers. Watch the trailer at: http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2763525 or read about it at: http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/081606/ew17.htm?date=081606&story=ew17.htm Counter arguments: In the film they mention the incident in Brazil, (which happened in 1994!) in which a dolphins did attacked two men (who are shown only to caress the belly of the dolphin) One of the two men died as a result of this attack. BUT National Geographic film-makers fail to mention that the two men actually provoked the dolphhin's behavior by sticking a popsickle into the dolphins blowhole, thereby nearly suffocating the dolphin! http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dolphin+attack+Brazil&btnG=Google+Search" "Scientist Dr. Paul Manger says dolphins are dimwits: see full article under http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14388922/ Dr. Paul Manger also said in a Radio Interview http://www.cbc.ca/aih/STEAM/2004/dolphins_20040923.html that dolphins swim in circles while they sleep. Here is where Dr. Paul Manger's information is largely lacking exposure to wild dolphins and/or are plain out WRONG assumptions: He must have only watched dolphins in captivity. Yes, in captivity dolphins swim in circles only, not in their natural habitat. In pools, swimming in circles is the most logical motion. It requires the least amount of attention. BUT: IN the WILD however Dolphins do not swim in circles. Depending on the species, dolphins swim together in long passes, either swimming, near the surface, as in Florida Keys, straight, or like Spinner dolphins in Hawaii who will swim in large figure eights, back and forth in a safe bay." "So, why would Dolphins need to be presented to be Dumb and Threatening? Besides selling news that way, there may be other reasons: The NAVY has been stopped by a judge in CA to use Low Frequency Sonar due to legal battles won by dolphin and whale advocates. And then there is Japan, with it's need to keep slaughtering dolphins (See information and steps for you to take to prevent this down below) So, if dolphins are seen as dumb and dangerous, maybe not as many people will care if they get killed by NAVY experiments, or by Japanese fishermen, or caught for amusement parks." Source and further information: http://lists.nfg.nl/mhonarc/listeecet/msg00334.html 3) Dolphins do not usually harm human, but they are big animals and you should be somewhat cautious with them. Even dogs and cats can harm humans, if you do not respect some rules! Some people ware able to establish a very deep form of communication with dolphins: "In the 1960s, John Lilly, M.D., prolific writer and explorer of consciousness via the isolation tank (his invention) and LSD, and contemporary and associate of Timothy Leary, began experiments in the Virgin Islands aiming to establish meaningful communication between humans and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Lilly financed, mostly personally, a human-dolphin cohabitat, a house on the ocean's shore that contained an area that was partially flooded and allowed a human and dolphin to live together in the same space, sharing meals, play, language lessons, and even sleep." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human-animal_communication#John_Lilly_and_Cetacean_Communication Further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphins#Human-dolphin_relationships 4) Not to be forgotten: humans *do* harm dolphins: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphins#Human_threats_to_dolphins

Only when they eat Tuna, I heard that many humans are caught in their nets while trying to catch Tuna for commercial porpoises.

I swam with wild dolphins by myself regularly as a child of 9. Eventually I was tail slapped by a male I got sexually excited thinking his penis was an extra fin! He circled me with tail up and slapping until I got hit- his mate joined him. I am lucky to have lived to tell the tale(excuse the pun!)

Yes, dolphins do harm humans. In fact, a dolphin is more likely to kill you deliberately than sharks will. Firstly, as most people know, wild animals which have NO contact with humans will be, most commonly, cautious around humans. Sharks do not usually attack people without reasons, as with dolphins. However, people are less likely to be careful around dolphins. That, combined with the sheer amount of contact between dolphins and humans, means that a dolphin is far more likely to kill you deliberately. All sharks known to cause fatal injuries to people have been filmed unprotected. Also, sharks would be curious about us, as we are unknown. Having no appendages, the only way to find out about us is to bite us. Unfortunately, this can be fatal. However, most dolphins, not having the large enough mouth, cannot bite us. Therefore, they butt at us with their beaks. This can be done in a non-lethal manner. When a dolphin actually attacks, it is therefore more likely to be deliberate and aggressive. As a predator, and having the capacity to do so, it is most likely to be incapacitating or fatal. Bottlenose dolphins, for example, have the strength to puncture the chest, and drive through, with their beak. This has been fatal in every case. Other dolphins can break ribs and cause internal injuries by butting people aggressively. When we get on to the larger dolphins, such as the Orca, they can eat the human whole.

The only dolphin's specie that I know have been known to ever attack humans are Killer Whales. Although done on rare occasions, it has even occurred with trained Killer Whales. Go on YouTube and see it for yourself.

Not unless they feel threatened.

Yep +5

Don't believe there is a plot to do so but I have no doubt it has happened - a few more dolphins have been harmed by humans for those keeping score. +5