HONOLULU (KHON) — A large group of swimmers is being accused of harassing dolphins on Sunday morning.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources said 33 swimmers were allegedly actively pursuing a pod of dolphins in Hōnaunau Bay off Big Island.
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A DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officer then contacted the group of 33 in the water and alerted them of the violation.
Uniformed officers met the swimmers on land and an investigation was initiated.
Swimmers in the ocean with a pod of dolphins on Sunday morning, March 26, 2023, in Hōnaunau Bay off Big Island, Hawaii. (DLNR)
The investigation was prompted by DOCARE and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement.
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According to the DLNR, drone video and photographs appear to show the swimmers allegedly aggressively pursuing, corralling, and harassing the pod.
