A number of years in the past now, I wrote about an unacceptable incident during which divers have been videoed driving a whale shark. The video went viral, sparking hundreds of different offended diver feedback moreover mine. Clearly, most divers (possibly 99%+) know that such outrageous conduct shouldn’t be solely deplorable, however casts divers in a nasty gentle – as Ocean Torchbearers, what we are saying and do should function mannequin our attitudes because the seas’ ambassadors.
Rescuers, Not Abusers
The reality is, somewhat than abusing animals, there are by far many extra examples of divers going out of their option to assist them. These vary from extricating a child shark from a glove to releasing 5 whale sharks from entanglement to disentangling a sperm whale. It’s not solely sea animals, both – divers have been documented rescuing canines and even a possum. Yow will discover so many examples on-line one couldn’t probably checklist all of them – see some hyperlinks on the finish for only a few.
These examples are superior, and I commend all of the divers who did so, not solely as a result of it’s the best factor to do, however as a result of it units an instance and provides diving a voice because the ocean’s stewards. Additional, I believe that divers do that on a regular basis as second nature, and the examples one finds on-line are simply the tip of the iceberg.
Be a Rescuer, However Know What You’re Doing
By all means, it’s good to assist animals once they want it, however like every part in diving, there are some dangers to handle in order that each you and the animal keep protected. Please preserve the next factors in thoughts.
1. Deal with your self first. As you be taught within the PADI Rescue Diver course, when serving to one other diver, your precedence is your self. That is within the sufferer’s greatest curiosity in addition to yours as a result of you may’t assist somebody should you need assistance, and stepping into hassle your self divides the remaining rescue sources. It needs to be apparent, however this is applicable to animal rescues, too. By no means exceed limits, push your air provide or in any other case violate protected diving practices for the sake of an animal rescue.
2. As Hippocrates mentioned, “First do no hurt.” In different phrases, earlier than making an attempt an animal rescue, assess rigorously whether or not your efforts are possible to assist, or at the least not make the animal’s scenario worse. Typically it’s a simple name – you merely open an deserted lure and let entrapped fish escape. Or, the animal will die should you do nothing anyway – like a sea turtle entangled in a internet underwater. However different conditions could also be extra questionable – like whether or not to take away a small hook trailing monofilament from the mouth of a big fish that doesn’t appear to be having issues with it. Would attempting to take away it trigger extra trauma than the small hook, which can possible come out finally anyway? The purpose is, simply as you do serving to one other diver, pause and take a second to assume issues by way of.
3. Know what you’ll want to know. This can be essentially the most advanced half. Not understanding you’re serving to, many animals will wrestle, and/or instinctively attempt to chunk, sting or in any other case injure or endanger you. So, you’ll want to be acquainted sufficient with an animal you assist to know what dangers there could also be, and what to do about them. Divers have helped large-could-hurt-you sharks, however invariably, these divers have been skilled with sharks and shark diving, knew the dangers and easy methods to handle them.
One other concern is ghost gear – misplaced and deserted fishing gear like nets, traps and contours – which is a main reason for animal rescue conditions. Many of those, like nets (particularly gill nets), could cause extreme entanglement. It’s very important that you’ve got applicable coaching for coping with it, in addition to any specialised tools that could be referred to as for. Fairly a number of PADI Dive Resorts or Dive Facilities have tasks and coaching particular to animal rescues, ghost gear, particles and different PADI AWARE initiatives they’re concerned with; that’s the most effective place to start out if you wish to be taught extra. However with coaching or with out, if moderately managing any danger related to an animal rescue is outdoors your coaching/expertise and/or accessible tools, don’t try the rescue. However, you may nonetheless assist: report the placement (ideally GPS coordinates) and report the animal to authorities and/or different divers and consultants who are certified to assist.
Search journey. Save the ocean.
Dr. Drew Richardson
PADI President & CEO.
PS: Try these different animal rescues by divers:
