Spotted dolphins are popular targets for wildlife tourism in the Bahamas and elsewhere. Understanding their welfare during tourism encounters enables responsible guidelines.
Spotted dolphin welfare during tourism encounters depends primarily on encounter duration, approach behavior, and activity timing. Encounters during resting and nursing periods cause greatest disruption. Research at the Bahamas site shows that dolphins habituated to respectful observation over decades maintain normal social and reproductive behavior — evidence that responsible tourism can coexist with dolphin welfare. In-water encounters that respect the dolphins' choice of proximity — rather than pursuing or cornering animals — produce less disruption. Operators who train participants in responsible encounter behavior achieve better welfare outcomes.