Is Respecting Wildlife Optional? (Especially Underwater)

 Imagine trying to take a nap next to an airport runway — the roar of engines, the constant vibration, and the way the sound seems to burrow into your bones. Now imagine living like that—24/7. That’s what life is like for many marine animals, not beside an airport, but beneath our boats.

Underwater Isn’t Silent

The ocean, contrary to popular belief, isn’t quiet. Whales sing. Dolphins click. Fish grunt. Coral reefs crackle with the sounds of snapping shrimp.

But then we arrive

Jet skis. Motorboats. Commercial ships. Even snorkelers paddling above sound like thunder beneath the surface. The hum and rumble of engines, high-pitched sonar pings, and the steady churn of propellers don’t just disrupt a peaceful underwater scene—they drown out entire conversations.

To a whale, our noise pollution can be the difference between finding a mate and losing their pod. To a reef fish, it’s like navigating a city blindfolded while someone blasts leaf blowers in every direction.

Would You Want to Be Poked?

We don’t mean to harm, right? Just a gentle tap on a sea cucumber. A quick prod of a pufferfish to see if it inflates. A selfie with a turtle that clearly isn’t thrilled.

But imagine walking through your neighborhood and strangers keep rushing up to touch your face, poking your sides, or trying to pick you up for a photo. We wouldn’t call that “curiosity.” We’d call that harassment.

Touch can damage marine animals’ protective coatings, cause stress, or even expose them to infections. A casual brush from a flipper or hand can crush coral polyps that took years to grow. And as for turtles? That “friendly face” is a wild animal trying to eat, breathe, and survive.

Would you swim in your toilet?

That’s what it’s starting to feel like for some marine species. Every time we flush old medications, rinse paintbrushes in the sink, or casually toss a plastic wrapper on the street that gets washed into the water and eventually reaches the ocean, something suffers. The fish and coral become exposed to antidepressants, antibiotics, sunscreen chemicals, and hormone disruptors. These substances don’t just remain in the water; they alter how marine life behaves, grows, and reproduces.

And trash? It’s not just plastic straws and bottle caps. Microfibers from our laundry, glitter from sunscreen, and mysterious sludge from street drains end up on reefs and inside sea creatures’ stomachs.

If it sounds gross, that’s because it is. The ocean isn’t a giant garbage dump. It’s a living, breathing ecosystem with limits.

When animals defend themselves, we call them aggressive.

We touch a cat, and it swipes back. Our fault.

We touch a moray eel, and it bites. We call it dangerous.

Marine life isn’t aggressive; it’s defensive, just like any of us would be.

We’re the guests in their world; sometimes we act as if we forgot to knock.

Respect Is Protection

The good news? Respecting wildlife is easy:

- Keep your distance.
- Don’t chase, feed, or touch animals.
- Opt for quieter, eco-friendly options when boating or diving.
- Don’t flush meds, rinse chemicals, or let trash go unchecked.
- Use mineral-based sunscreens and reef-safe body products.
- Speak up when you see others being careless.

You don’t need a degree in marine biology to be kind—just empathy and a little humility.

Respect isn’t about pity. It’s about humility. We aren’t better than animals. We’re just louder, messier, and—for now—holding the keys. What we choose to do with that power says more about us than any technology ever could.

Animals have cultures. They teach, play, grieve, and adapt. They understand their environment in ways we never will—and they survive without polluting it.

Somewhere along the way, we started acting like humans are the main characters and everything else is just scenery. But intelligence doesn’t make us more important. It makes us more responsible.

Final Thought:

It’s Not Just Their Home—It’s Their Only Home

They can’t move inland. They can’t tell us to quiet down. They can’t vote for better protections.

But we can.

We can stop thinking of nature as a theme park we visit, and start treating it like the living, breathing community it is—a community we’re fortunate to share.

This is mostly about marine life, but it also applies to wildlife on land. So, to answer the question in the title – it’s up to you! Only you can decide how you want to behave and what you respect.

I’m not advocating stopping doing everything that harms anything. That is just impossible. But we can think about what we use, how we get it, and what it takes to get what we want, then decide if it is really worth what we lose to get it. We can learn to live with wildlife and get what we need.

Mahalo for making a difference. Every small gesture matters.

 

A hui ho! Co-created by Seascribe and Finn
(the silent current beneath the words)

Sources
If you’d like to learn more about the science and conservation work behind these ideas:

• Erbe, C., et al. (2019). The Effects of Ship Noise on Marine Mammals—A Review. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6:606.
• NOAA Fisheries. “Ocean Noise.” https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Viewing Marine Life Responsibly.” https://myfwc.com
• Harriott, V.J., et al. (1997). Impact of recreational diving and snorkelling on coral reefs: a review. Environmental Management, 21(4): 649–662.
• Wilkinson, J.L., et al. (2022). Pharmaceutical pollution of the world’s rivers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(8).
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). “Marine Litter and Microplastics.” https://www.unep.org
• Browne, M.A., et al. (2011). Accumulation of microplastics on shorelines worldwide: sources and sinks. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(21): 9175–9179.
• Bekoff, M. (2014). Rewilding Our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence.
• de Waal, F. (2016). Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?