Scientific Literature: Searchable Database

Swim-with-dolphin tourism is increasing worldwide, and with the success of this industry detrimental effects on the animals are feared. Here, we describe the swim-with activities based on wild dolphins carried out in the Azores to date. A distinction is made between On-the-day swim-with trips, where tourists are taken out to sea on a day to day basis, with genrally little instruction given; and Guided swim-with tours, which last several days and give profound instruction about snorkelling in general and the swimming attempt itself. We argue that the concept of Guided swim-with tours is a practicable way to minimize the disturbance of dolphins in their natural habitat, as well as to cope with safety risks when placing - sometimes unexperienced - swimmers in open water cetacean habitats.