Dolphin Attacks Trainer in Front of Horrified Families in Miami Seaquarium: How Often Do These Sea Creatures Attack Humans? [WATCH]

Dolphins are commonly known to be friendly and playful towards humans. However, there are instances when these marine mammals attack people. The latest of these cases is the incident at Miami Seaquarium on Saturday, April 9, when a dolphin lunged three times at its trainer.

MailOnline reported that the establishment said that the trainer and 23-year-old Sundance collided in the water, causing them to break the routine and the dolphin to become violent. The female trainer was taken away in an ambulance, while the fate of Sundance is still unclear. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) monitored the park even before this incident due to animal welfare violations.

Caught in the Act: Dolphin Attacks Trainer in Miami

A video posted on the video-sharing app TikTok by photographer Shannon Carpenter shows how the dolphin lunges at its trainer in the water. The two of them were performing an act while the woman was on the surfboard but accidentally collided. After the attack, the woman hurriedly tried to swim to the pool's edge.

@scphoto_ky A dolphin trainer was just attacked by Flipper. Police just arrived. :( #dolphinattack #miami #seaquarium ♬ original sound - SCPhoto_KY

The audience in the video could be heard breathing a sigh of relief as the trainer successfully pulls herself from the water but can also be seen shaking due to the incident.

Carpenter told WPLG Local 10 that the woman was obviously in pain. The kids on the show thought it was part of the trick and cheered, while adults could tell that something wrong was going on.

According to the Whales and Dolphins Coalition, dolphins are feared by sharks in the wild because they would attack them with their strong snouts and target the shark's underbellies.

Moreover, this is not the first time a dolphin has gone rogue. In 2019, a young girl was also attacked by a dolphin at Dolphin Discovery in Cancun, Mexico, in which the 10-year-old sustained cuts and injuries as she was dragged underwater. Luckily she survived as a trainer immediately grabbed her to safety.

Dolphin Attacks More Common Than What Most People Think

Dr. Chiara Giulia Bertulli, Sightings Officer at the Sea Watch Foundation, told The Sun that there is a misconception that dolphins are friendly and placid. Most people forget that, like any land or sea animal, dolphins are wild animals that live in a complex society where they also possess personalities and behaviors.

"Some can show tranquil behavior - traveling, searching for food, and socializing - but others can show much more aggressive behavior, even within their own species. Many dolphins have tooth rakes on their skin from bouts of fighting," the news outlet quoted Dr. Bertulli.

Dolphins do attack when older ones are trying to discipline the younger ones. More so, males try to assert their sexual dominance in their territory or over females by attacking others that threaten them.

Furthermore, World Animal Protection said that these complex marine hunters are capable of inflicting severe injuries not only to each other but also to humans. Dolphins held captive in parks have been known to seriously hurt humans by butting them, which results in lacerations and broken bones. Even outside of the water, dolphins can inflict harm by biting during feeding sessions.

The parks are aware of these possible incidents, which is why the liability release forms at entertainment venues highlight this, using simple language to indemnify the park and its employees from lawsuits that pertain to injuries caused by these marine mammals.

Check out more news and information on Dolphins in Science Times.