Adelaide social media influencer Hugh Lovett could come under fire from authorities after alleged interference with dolphins at Glenelg
An Adelaide social media influencer could be in hot water after filming himself on-board a jet ski surrounded by a pod of dolphins – but he insists he was doing nothing wrong. Video: 7NEWS
An Adelaide social media influencer may come under fire from authorities after posting a video of himself on a jet ski surrounded by a pod of dolphins.
In a video, originally uploaded to Hugh Lovett’s 23,400 Instagram followers, the tradie can be seen “idling along” Glenelg’s coast, swarmed by the protected species.
Mr Lovett told 7NEWS he had not done any harm to the dolphins.
“A few people asked me to take it (the video) down – they were just like ‘oh that’s illegal, you should take it down,” he said.
“In the video – because it had no audio over it – people couldn’t hear me. I wasn’t driving, I wasn’t accelerating. I was idling along.
“It wouldn’t be good to cop the fine or go to jail.”
It comes after three other young men were arrested after allegedly interfering with protected bottlenose dolphins in two separate incidents at Seacliff and Brighton in August – a charge that carries a maximum penalty of $100,000 or two years’ imprisonment.
The Department for Environment and Water alleged two of the men brought their jet skis within 300m of the dolphins, breaching legal distance requirements.
A third man, of Goolwa South, is alleged to have brought his boat to within 50m – and has since been charged with one count of using a boat to interfere with or harass a protected animal, and one count of undertaking an act in relation to a protected animal.
A 19-year-old Belair man was charged with two counts of using a jet ski to interfere with or harass a protected animal, and two counts of using a jet ski to undertake or continue an act in relation to a protected animal.
A 20-year-old Glengowrie man faces one count of each offence over his alleged approach to the pod.
A video of the incident shows one of the young men barrelling through the pod, while another hovers close by.
It drew outrage from beachgoers – one of whom said the pair should face the full consequences for their actions.
“They should have everything that the law has thrown against them,” Brighton local Peter said.
While it’s understandable to want to see animals up close, he said people needed to take care.
“If you’re on a jet ski and you see the things, paddle up to them carefully don’t chase them.”
Deputy premier Kyam Maher urged the South Australian community to refrain from interacting with dolphins.
“Just don’t do that,” Mr Maher said.
“The dolphins are there in their natural habitat. Leave them alone.”
