Jet skier in court for harassing dolphins

A skipper and his passengers out on a sea-life cruise in the Moray Firth, Scotland watched a jet-skier ride into a family of dolphins and send them into a panic, a court has heard. The large group of around 20 animals became stressed when they were chased through the water by the jet-skier, diving under the water and returning to the surface only seconds later to breathe.

Skipper Mr Smith gave evidence on the first day of the trial, stating that he had never seen dolphins behave in that way before. 22-year-old Nicol Wood, of Banff appeared at court on November 26 accused of driving a jet-ski at high speed and in a reckless and erratic manner at and around a school of dolphins in June 2006. He denies intentionally disturbing or harassing the mammals. Mr Smith told the court he had been giving visitors a tour on his boat, when they spotted a group of between 15 and 20 dolphins, including two calves. Some of the animals had come to swim alongside the boat when the next minute a jet-ski came out of the harbour at fast speed. Mr Smith said he watched as the jet skier, who he identified as Wood, splashed hard in the water - a common method of attracting dolphins.

Initially three dolphins, including a calf, swam towards the jet ski and seemed to pass underneath it but the jet-ski then headed off in the same direction of the dolphins, at speed but then carrying out a series of manoeuvres - slowing down, speeding up and completing 360-degree turns. The dolphins started panicking, became stressed and then split up as the jet ski drove through them one last time before heading back to Macduff harbour. The jet ski, or a similarly coloured one, returned to the dolphins minutes later, but with a different driver.

The trial is due to continue on December 19.