There are days when I open up the internet, go to the news section of Reddit or whatever, and just sigh real hard, and close my computer. I feel like that might be the case for many of you, too, as the world, or rather humanity, sometimes feels like it was a massive mistake.
I get this way when I read, and then have to subsequently cover, headlines that detail our species just being the dumbest box of rocks on the face of our pale blue dot. Whether it's running from the police with a trailer attached, trying to rescind important environmental protections for our public lands, or in the case we're going to discuss here, chasing dolphins with a personal watercraft (PWC).
Come on, folks, why do we have to tell you that's a bad idea? Let alone having the police and court system in England telling you the same thing? I hate it here.
According to The Independent, some dude from Cornwall, England, was seen harassing a pod of dolphins in St Austell Bay this past June. Passersby who witnessed the interaction say that he was goading others to get closer and closer to the marine mammals, who've been known to save humans when they fall off their boats or jet skis, and mess with the animals. Accordingly, folks turned this dude's ass into the local constabulary who found him and told him to knock it the hell off.
The outlet states, "Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the man, a local resident, was identified and served with a community protection warning. This action follows the violation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which prohibits the intentional and reckless disturbance of dolphins, porpoises, whales, and basking sharks. The warning imposes strict conditions, including a ban on following or pursuing any marine wildlife in any watercraft. A breach of the warning could result in further prosecution under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act."
Now, the local police were a tad nicer than I probably would've been, as I think a slap upside the head and making an example out of him at his local pub would've been a far better warning to stop it in the future. But that's also why I'm not a cop, and probably a good reason why I shouldn't be. Yet, from the report, he has it coming.
"In this case," said Sergeant Martin Easter, "The individual had no regard for the dolphins or how his deliberate behaviour could cause a disturbance, even hailing for more people to come over and join him in doing so. Our ask is that people enjoy our waters, but to make sure they do so safely and responsibly."
They should've slapped him, but seriously, people, don't mess with animals while you're out enjoying your machines. You don't want to end up like Cody Roberts, right?
