Biology Program, Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2021 Apr 2;16(4):e0248732. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248732. eCollection 2021.
Spinner dolphins on Hawai'i Island's west coast (Stenella longirostris longirostris) rest by day in protected bays that are increasingly popular for recreation. Because more frequent interactions of people with these dolphins is likely to reduce rest for dolphins and to explain recent decline in dolphin abundance, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed stricter rules regarding interactions with spinner dolphins near the main Hawaiian Islands and plans to increase enforcement. Simultaneous investment in public education about both interaction rules and their biological rationale has been and is likely to be relatively low. To test the hypothesis that more educational signage will reduce human-generated disturbance of dolphins, a paper questionnaire was distributed to 351 land-based, mostly unguided visitors at three dolphin resting bays on Hawai'i Island's west coast. Responses indicated that visitors wanted to see dolphins, were ignorant of interaction rules, were likely to read signs explaining rules and their biological rationales, and were likely to follow known rules. Therefore, investment in effective educational signage at dolphin resting bays is recommended as one way to support conservation of spinner dolphins on Hawai'i Island's west coast and similar sites in the Hawaiian archipelago.
夏威夷岛西海岸的飞旋海豚（Stenella longirostris longirostris）白天在受保护的海湾中休息，这些海湾越来越受到娱乐活动的欢迎。由于人与这些海豚的互动越来越频繁，海豚的休息时间可能会减少，并且可能解释了海豚数量最近的下降，因此美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）提议对夏威夷群岛附近的飞旋海豚的互动制定更严格的规定，并计划加强执法力度。同时，对互动规则及其生物学原理进行公众教育的投资一直很低，而且可能仍然很低。为了验证更多教育标志将减少人为干扰海豚的假设，我们在夏威夷岛西海岸的三个海豚休息湾向 351 名以陆地为基础的、大多没有导游的游客分发了纸质问卷。调查结果表明，游客希望看到海豚，他们不知道互动规则，但很可能会阅读解释规则及其生物学原理的标志，并很可能会遵守已知的规则。因此，建议在海豚休息湾投资有效的教育标志，以支持保护夏威夷岛西海岸和夏威夷群岛类似地点的飞旋海豚。
