Federal laws under the Marine Mammal Protection Act aim to protect these critters from harassment. Which means you can't feed them Twinkies, put your children on their backs, swim with them or even get so close they can smell your cologne. Most people are simply unaware of the dangers to themselves and the animals they get too close to. Trevor Spradlin, a marine mammal biologist at the Marine Fisheries Service, says animals that are repeatedly disturbed lose their fear of humans and are vulnerable to death through boat collisions. Feeding wild animals is destructive.
Mothers spending their time begging for food don' t pay attention to their young.
Even simply swimming with or walking around the animals can harass them. Getting too close to pups of seals and sea lions on the beach will put off Mom from returning from her foraging. Not Too Close To teach the public about proper behavior around marine mammals, the Marine Fisheries Service distributes guidelines and posts signs near marine mammal hangouts. They also teach wildlife viewing guides on how to spot disturbed mammals. Tour operators generally know better, though a case is pending against a Panama City, Fla., parasail company for feeding dolphins.