Diver Was Swimming In Hawaii When Dolphin Swam Up And Begged For Help

Sep 28, 2021

There is more to nature than we can ever know. From the smallest of creatures to the largest mammal, the variation in the biodiversity of this world is unbelievable. The intricate connection between all animals in nature plays a big part in keeping the world in balance. We have hardly scratched the surface when it comes to knowing all the animals that inhabit our world, but this fact is especially true about sea animals. 

Sea creatures such as dolphins and whales are widely studies, but due to the lack of accessibility, the extent of how well we know these animals is always in question. Thanks to technology's far-reaching ability, we are now able to understand these creatures like never before. Moreover, we are coming to know about creatures we could never have imagined, such as surreal glow-in-the-dark sharks! 

We also do not always know how intelligent and sensitive underwater creatures are. While studies do show that dolphins are highly intelligent and emotional creatures, for example, most people have never seen that side of a dolphin in their lives. Unless you are a marine biologist or scientist that studies these wonderful animals, you never come across these facts in action. 

Keller Laros and a group of divers in Kona, Hawaii were witness to one of the most incredible experiences of their life when they were approached by a dolphin asking them for help in 2014. Most creatures tend to stay away from humans for their own safety, but this dolphin trusted the divers enough to request their help when it was wounded. 

Keller Laros is an experienced diver who is also the founder of the Manta Pacific Research Foundation. On January 11, 2014, he was leading a group of snorkelers through the ocean when the group heard a dolphin's squeal from the water's abyss. As the dolphin came barreling towards the group, Laros could see that its movements were inhibited, and saw that the dolphin's pectoral fin had a fishing hook embedded within it while its body was entangled in a fishing line. Incredibly, the dolphin seemed to know that approaching Laros would give it some relief, and it even rolled over to position itself correctly for optimal reach.

Recalling the experience, Laros told the Daily Mail, "The way he came right up and pushed himself into me there was no question this dolphin was there for help."

We may not know how animals know whom to trust and whom to stay away from, but this dolphin's intuition to trust Laros was certainly correct. It is as if the cetacean knew that it would not be harmed. Hana Hou Magazine reports that Laros is also known as the "Manta Man" of Kona, Hawaii, and has dedicated his life to lobbying for the protection of manta rays in the ocean through his foundation. He has led hundreds of dives into the ocean and has extensively studied manta rays with his wife Wendy Laros, so he is a man that knows the depths of water well. He is the best candidate for sea creatures to trust with their life. 

After he was approached by the dolphin, Laros got to work right away. "I was trying to unwrap it, I got the line fishing hook out of the pectoral fin. There was a line coming out of his mouth. But, the line wrapped around his pectoral fin was so tight and he had cuts both front and aft," Laros said. "I was worried if I tugged on it, it might hurt him more. I was able to cut the fishing line and unwrap it." However, as he worked to help the dolphin, the mammal calmly waited for him to finish. 

He used scissors he had in his pocket (luckily) to cut away the fishing line, and after he is finally able to remove the painfully entangled line, the dolphin swims back into the abyss of the sea. This interaction is truly incredible because it shows us that sea creatures know that they can approach particular humans for help. Unfortunately, it is the work of humans that leaves poor, defenseless creatures like this dolphin in life-threatening situations in the first place. 

When asked if such a thing has ever happened before, Laros said, "I've had bottlenose dolphins approach me a lot of times and they are really smart animals." However, he has never been approached for help like this dolphin. But he did tell the Dodo that he has helped other sea creatures such as manta rays and a few turtles that were entangled in fishing lines and hooks. "[I] even tried a shark once. The shark was not successful," he said. 

Keller Laros has lived an incredibly interesting life. He was supposed to have become a lawyer when he was in college in 1984 and was just one year away from wrapping up a political science degree. However, during a trip to Hawaii with his family, he went on a dive in the ocean to see manta rays. This was a surprisingly profound experience for Laros, who was astounded by the creatures. 

"The graceful way that they moved in the water … I was blown away. Then I made eye contact. It was really dramatic, like a lightning strike,” he told Hana Hou Magazine. “It’s an emotional thing that happens, that click. And it happened to me that summer.” After returning back to college after this trip, Laros had made up his mind to pursue a life close to the sea. He went to the Diving Instructors College in California to complete his scuba instructor training and moved to Kona in 1991. 

"Rather than going to grad school and getting a business suit," he said, "I went to scuba college and got a wetsuit." During his early diving days, he met his wife, who was then another diver who had moved from California to Hawaii, and the two of them have spent their lives identifying, categorizing, and naming manta rays. They have profoundly changed the landscape of what is known about manta rays today. They also teach others how to dive, while also lobbying to protect manta rays from being killed or captured. We certainly need more people like Laros who dedicate their lives to the well-being of animals that cannot always fend for themselves. 

Stories like this can warm your heart and remind you of how much kindness is in the world. What do you think of Laros and his encounter with the dolphin? Show this to anyone who loves stories that show a surprising bond between animals and humans.