Which behavior is described as harassing wildlife while operating a vessel?

The behavior described as harassing wildlife while operating a vessel is chasing or disturbing wildlife. This action directly impacts the animals and can cause stress, disrupt their feeding, mating, or nesting activities, and can even lead to injury or death in extreme cases. It is crucial to respect wildlife and their habitats, as they need safe environments to thrive.

Idling nearby animals or using headlights at night, while potentially disruptive, do not necessarily constitute harassment in the same way that actively chasing or causing disturbance does. Ferrying passengers is a standard operation of a vessel that does not pertain to wildlife interaction in a manner that would constitute harassment. Understanding these distinctions is important for responsible boating and wildlife conservation.