It might have been little more than a nip on the arm, but a SeaWorld Orlando dolphin's bite of a Georgia boy Sunday night led to a brief moment of terror and could lead to a trip back to school for the dolphin.The dolphin, at SeaWorld's dolphin petting attraction "Dolphin Cove," emerged from the pool, grabbed Brandon Jackson's left arm and held on, though its teeth didn't break his skin, said his mother, Brenda Harris of Valdosta, Ga. But she said she had to beat on the animal's snout until it let go.

"He was screaming," she said of Brandon.

SeaWorld sent the boy to the first aid station, took the family on a private dolphin showing, apologized, then offered four free tickets for a return visit.The young dolphin will be watched carefully and might be sent to a"behavior modification" program, normal protocol for a minor incident, said SeaWorld spokeswoman Becca Bides. Such incidents are rare but are an inevitible possibility whenever humans interact with animals, Bides said. She called SeaWorld's marine animals the best trained in the world, and said that Dolphin Cove is heavily staffed and includes numerous signs instructing people how to interact with the animals. But she noted such incidents have happened "a handful of times."

Harris accepted the tickets after a SeaWorld health services official called Tuesday to check on Brandon.

"He's got a bruised arm. He's going to be fine," Harris said. "He doesn't want to see dolphins anymore."

Source: Orlando Sentinel

The Marine Connection has concerns about swim with the dolphin programmes and dolphin petting attractions both for the health of the animals involved as well as for the human participants.
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