Recently, there have been reports of a solitary dolphin named Jean Floch "running amok" in the port of Brezellec in Brittany. Accused of overturning boats, destroying rowboats and twisting mooring lines, it has been said by the media that Jean Floch is "psychotic".

However, should we be blaming the dolphin for exhibiting its naturally curious and mischievous behaviour or should those who made Jean Floch into a tourist attraction and encouraged close contact between wild animal and human take the responsibility?

The Marine Connection believes that humans must take the responsibility.

In recent times, people have become so misguided by contrived scenes of submissive, trained dolphins that they have forgotten that dolphins are in fact wild animals; expert predators of the marine world that navigate the ocean with proficiency.

By encouraging solitary dolphins such as Jean Floch to swim with people, to take food from boats and to be a "tourist attraction" we give them permission to be near us and to swim within boats. However, when this same animal exhibits its inherent wild and more mischievous and curious characteristics within the same location the wild dolphin is labelled "psychotic".

This is natural behaviour from a curious yet ordinarily passive and sociable solitary dolphin which has frequented the Brittany Coast for many years. However, rather than deliberately "attacking" boats, it must be said that the dolphin is undoubtedly being the mischievous and wild animal it was born to be.

To place this animal in captivity or put it to sleep because it is exhibiting more aggressive behaviour than we are comfortable with, after we have encouraged it to the point where it will come up to boats and swim with people, is contradictory and mistaken behaviour.

Wide-ranging, complex and social animals, dolphins do not fare well in captivity. Their critical sonar skills, with which they identify their world, are rendered useless and a lifeless, restrictive tank without currents inhibits a dolphin's natural behaviours. Captive dolphins become a caricature of their wild counterparts as they progressively realise their absolute reliance on humans. To put Jean Floch in captivity would be a typical response from humans attempting to dominate and control nature. Sadly, the dolphin would be an easy scapegoat.

As humans, we need to take some responsibility for encouraging this animal into such close contact with human beings and making it into a tourist attraction. People are quite happy when the animal is being docile and habituated but when the dolphin exhibits its wild and natural curiosity there are calls for its domination and even death. We need to remember that wild dolphins are exactly that - wild - but the solution to this situation is certainly not death nor putting it in captivity to become a shadow of its former wild self.

Image: © S Guyomard