Spinner dolphins rest inshore in bays during the day to recover from nighttime foraging. Tourism pressure in Hawaii and elsewhere is disrupting their rest and causing chronic welfare harms.
Spinner dolphin rest disruption is a clear example of wildlife welfare harm caused by well-intentioned but inadequately managed tourism. Dolphins that cannot complete their daytime rest period are nutritionally stressed when they begin nighttime foraging, creating a cycle of cumulative fatigue. Research has documented that dolphins in heavily disturbed bays spend proportionally less time resting and show stress indicators. The attraction of dolphins to calm bays — optimal for human swimming — creates an inherent conflict between dolphin welfare and tourism access. NOAA regulations restricting human approaches in Hawaii represent a welfare-based management decision that acknowledges rest disruption as a genuine harm. Implementation and enforcement remain challenging. Responsible wildlife tourism that respects resting habitat exclusion zones is the minimum standard.