Sometimes they can love you to death.
There’s an underwater hotel down in Florida for divers, with windows. They had to put curtains on them, because guests were complaining about the dolphins watching them engaged in amorous activity.
[Update a few minutes later]
You should read all. It’s quite an interesting article on Delphinadae behavior in human history.
So that’s why those perverts are always smiling.
A very interesting article.
I wasn’t fond of the generalizations used. For example, we do have examples of dolphin bad behavior, but also human ones (the dolphin killed with a screwdriver mentioned, though there are many others). We can’t very well make generalizations about a whole species based on a few examples, any more than we can about humans based on a few incidents.
My own long-held take on the matter; dolphins are large, powerful animals, and the water is their environment. They can hurt you, intentionally or just by accident. And a few might do so by intent, just as some humans are cruel to animals for no good reason.
I consider trying to touch or pet any wild animal to be insane, like the woman who was mauled by a pilot whale. She caused her own problems, just as surely as those fools who get mauled when trying to pet a wild bear. (and yes, people are stupid enough to try that, with entirely predictable results).
“Look, but don’t touch,” is always the best advice when dealing with a wild animal of any sort. But, if you really must try petting wild animals, I suggest polar bears; they would surly appreciate a snack.