Since the '70s new therapeutic practices have been developed, involving the interaction
between humans and dolphins - Tursiops truncatus in particular. Such practices are known as
Dolphin-Assisted Therapies (DAT), a specific case of a more heterogeneous set of
experiences with cetaceans called Dolphin-Assisted Activities (DAA). These include
programs of dolphin watching and swimming in high seas, and shows in dolphinariums and
marine parks.
Although the promoters of this type of practices highlight the physiological, psychological
and cognitive benefits on human participants, such putative positive effects have not been
experimentally validated yet [1]. Studies supporting DAT seriously suffer from theoretical
and methodological flaws, such as the small sample size, the lack of control on effects of
exercising in aquatic environment and of control groups, the absence of a randomization of
participants [2,3].
Human-dolphin interactions are characterized by two sets of perceptual and cognitive
misinterpretations. On one side, humans are neglecting the animal’s psycho-physiological
dimension [4]. DAT causes suffering on several levels: physical (respiratory, peptic and
vision diseases, stress-related disorders), behavioral (aberrant, hyper-sexual and stereotyped
behaviors, unresponsiveness, self-inflicted trauma, excessive aggressiveness) and social
(alteration of hierarchies, limitations of sexual partners) [4-5]. Even in the open water,
cetaceans followed by the boats and approached by swimmers are disturbed by noises and
human inappropriate behaviors [6].
On the other side, humans have a mislead interpretation of the dolphins’ nature [8]. Several
behaviours exhibited by dolphins are naively associated with playful and sociable attitudes.
However, ethological observations have shown that surfing, breaching, leaping are
behaviours linked to specific physiological (sometimes social) functions that have nothing to
do with playful patterns. The “smile” on their faces is not a joyful sign, rather an
anthropomorphic projection of it [7].
These types of perceptual and cognitive misinterpretations in the human-animal interaction
expose non-human species, here represented by vulnerable dolphins, to activities that highly
impact on animal welfare [4,9].
