It’s Illegal to Talk to Dolphins When Visiting the Texas Gulf

(Galveston, Texas) - Laws in Texas are in place to protect us from criminals. Laws are passed to give us direction. Laws are in place to prevent us from being taken advantage of.

Sometimes, those laws will make us scratch our heads. For instance, it's illegal in Texas to milk someone else's cow. Another law that I just now found out about is that it's illegal to talk, interact, feed or do anything other than watch dolphins in the Texas gulf.

Talking to Dolphins is Illegal in Texas

During a visit to Galveston or Surfside Beach or Padre Island, you've most likely noticed dolphins swimming in the gulf (chron.com). They are very cute sea creatures and our first instinct is to try to swim up to them. Here's the thing, in Texas, that's illegal.

I know, it sounds dumb, but there is sound reasoning behind the law and we should be following it. The reason that interacting with dolphins is illegal is that they will become dependent on humans. By feeding them, they'll start approaching other humans expecting food. By talking to them, they'll get dangerously close to a boat to further communicate with us.

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Serious Fine for Talking, Feeding or Other Interactions with a Dolphin

If you are caught doing anything other than just watching a dolphin, you could face a fine of up to $100,000 or even serve some jail time. It's all spelled out in the very long Marine Mammal Protection Act. As cute an cuddly as dolphins are, they can become aggressive if they become too attached to human interaction.

It's better to swim with the dolphins, pet the dolphins, feed the dolphins, or anything else with a dolphin, in a controlled environment with a team of aquatic experts. Observe the cute dolphins in the wild but don't go beyond that.

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