Stranded dolphins die as beachgoers attempt to “surf” them, rescuers claim. It was a tragic end for an injured dolphin that was stranded on a beach in Texas after a mob of people tried to “surf” it.
Residents of Quintana Beach in Houston discovered the ailing dolphin on Sunday. They dragged it back to sea, and then attempted to “swim with and ride the animal,” according to a Facebook post by the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
The female dolphin was eventually trapped on the beach, where she was harassed by a large group of people, according to the network’s article, which included two photographs of the stranded dolphin.
As stated by the organisation, “this form of harassment causes unnecessary stress to wild dolphins, is harmful for those who engage with them, and is unlawful – punishable by fines and jail time if convicted.”
NOAA Fisheries reported last year that it had seen “repeated episodes of inappropriate and illegal encounters” with another dolphin near North Padre Island, and that it was investigating the situation.
In a second instance last week in Florida, the NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement appealed to the public for help in identifying a bottlenose dolphin that had been discovered dead on Fort Myers Beach. A necropsy found that the dolphin had been impaled in the head with a spear-like instrument while still alive, according to the findings.
A statement from NOAA says the dolphin was impaled while in a begging position and that the shape, size, and characteristics of the wound indicate that this is likely the case. ‘Begging is not a normal behaviour for dolphins, and it is often related with illicit feeding,’ says the author.
In the years since 2002, at least 27 dolphins have stranded with signs of having been shot with firearms or arrows, or impaled with sharp items, according to the organisation.
It is against the law to harass, hurt, kill, or feed wild dolphins, as stipulated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). According to NOAA, violators can be pursued either civilly or criminally, and are punishable by fines of up to $100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year for each violation.
People are encouraged to observe marine creatures from a distance of at least 50 yards, according to the agency.
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