Marine life interaction
0 of 4 hands-on
01 Introduction
Marine life is why most of us dive. Being a good guest means giving animals space, and keeping yourself out of harm's way. Most animals are no danger to divers who leave them alone. A few can hurt you if you touch them, step on them or corner them. This lesson gives you the basic rules. For more on protecting marine life, see Marine Conservation and Responsible Diving (MS006).
Objectives
- Describe how to behave around marine life so that animals and divers stay safe
- Recognise the main kinds of hazardous marine life and the usual rule for them
- Explain what to do if you are stung or bitten
02 Watch
Look, do not touch
4 min · Video in production
- 1
A diver hovering still beside a reef, watching a turtle feed without moving closer.
- 2
Close-ups of a stonefish, a lionfish and a sea urchin, each camouflaged or spiny, in the places where they live.
- 3
A diver checking where to put a hand before holding a rock, and choosing a bare patch of sand.
- 4
A guide pointing out a small animal with a stick that stays well away from it.
03 Learn
The golden rules
- Look, but do not touch. Do not chase, feed, ride or restrain animals.
- Keep your fins, hands and gauges away from the reef and the sea floor.
- Approach slowly and calmly, and give animals space to move away.
- Never block an animal's escape route.
- Do not take shells, coral or other items. Leave things as you found them.
- Follow the guide's briefing and local rules.
Why most injuries happen
Most marine injuries to divers come from contact, not from attacks. A hand on a rock covered in fire coral, a foot on a stonefish, a brush against a jellyfish or a graze from coral can all cause pain and infection. Good buoyancy, awareness and keeping your distance prevent nearly all of them.
| Type | Examples | How it hurts | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stinging animals | Jellyfish, fire coral, hydroids, some anemones | Stings that cause pain and rashes. Some can be serious | Cover skin with a suit, do not touch, and keep away from tentacles |
| Spiny animals | Sea urchins, lionfish, scorpionfish, stonefish | Punctures and venom, which cause pain and infection | Watch where you put hands and feet, and do not touch the bottom |
| Biting animals | Moray eels, triggerfish, some sharks | Bites, usually from being provoked or fed | Do not feed, corner or poke. Keep hands out of holes |
| Sharp surfaces | Coral, barnacles, wrecks | Cuts and scrapes that can get infected | Wear a suit and good buoyancy, and clean cuts properly |
Predict first
You want to steady yourself on a rock to take a photograph. What is the safest choice?
Around bigger animals
- Stay calm and keep a steady, upright position. Avoid sudden movements.
- Keep your distance from sharks, rays and turtles. Do not grab or touch them.
- Let animals come to you. If one approaches, stay still and watch.
- If an animal seems agitated or changes behaviour, back away slowly, facing it.
- Be aware that feeding and baiting practices can change the behaviour of animals and are controversial. Follow local law and brief yourself on any operator's policy.
If you are stung or bitten
- Get out of the water and away from the animal in a calm way.
- Do not rub the area, and do not use fresh water on some stings, which can make them worse. Ask for local advice.
- Clean cuts carefully, and keep an eye on them, because marine wounds can become infected.
- Report the incident to the dive staff, so that they can help and prevent others being hurt.
Your role as a guest
Divers are visitors to a home. Good habits protect the animals, the reef and you. A diver who stays off the bottom, keeps a respectful distance and makes no sudden moves gets more good encounters, not fewer.
Take a guess first
A diver wants to stay at least 2 metres away from a resting turtle. The diver's outstretched arm and a camera reach about 1 metre. About how far away, in metres, should the diver float to take a photograph and still keep clear of the turtle?
04 Explore
Try it yourself
Match each hazard with the best way to avoid it.
Match each hazard with the best way to avoid it.
- Fire coral and jellyfish
- Stonefish and urchins
- Moray eels
- Sharp coral
- A resting turtle
05 Apply
Scenario
On a dive you see a small octopus in a crack in the reef. Your buddy swims over, reaches out and tries to coax it out with a finger. The octopus changes colour and pushes back into the hole.
What is the best response?
06 Check
07 Summary
Key points
- Look, do not touch. Do not chase, feed, ride or restrain animals.
- Most injuries come from contact with stinging, spiny or sharp animals and surfaces. Good buoyancy prevents most of them.
- Give larger animals space, and back away calmly if they seem agitated.
- If you are stung or bitten, tell your guide and get help.
Before you apply this in the water
- Have I been trained by a qualified instructor for this?
- Am I medically fit to dive?
- Do I have a buddy and a plan?
- Am I diving within my training and limits?
Answer every question in the Check section to mark this lesson complete.