WSNN- Law enforcement is looking for answers after a dolphin was found dead and impaled on the head on Fort Myers beach in late March.
“We strongly suspect that this was intentional harm, this seemed very intentional not accidental,” said NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Branch Chief, Laura Engleby.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say the bottlenose dolphin was found dead March 24th on Fort Myers Beach by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A necropsy, non-human autopsy on the dolphin found it was impaled in the head by a spear-like object above the right eye while still alive.
“It is really unusual to get that close to a dolphin and cause that kind of an injury, unless the dolphin was at the surface with its head somewhat above the water,” said Engleby.
Law enforcement suspects the dolphin was impaled while in a ‘begging position’ which likely means it was being fed illegally according to the NOAA
“Sometimes when people try to feed them because it seems harmless and fun and the dolphin is there and they want to give them a fish, the dolphin learns to associate people with food, and thinks if they go up to another boat or person they’ll have a fish and they learn this unnatural behavior,” said Engleby.
OAA urges people to not feed wild dolphins to prevent future harm to them. Harassing or killing a dolphin is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Those who violate the law can face up to $100,000 in fines and up to one year in jail NOAA is working with local agencies to learn more about this case
“We’re just asking anybody with information who may have been boating that day or seen or heard anything to reach out to crime stoppers as were offering a cash reward of up to $3,000,” said SWFL Crime Stoppers Specialist, Jennifer Lambert.
Anyone with information who reaches out will remain completely anonymous.
“Whether they call our hotline, submit a tip online or use our mobile app,” said Lambert.
Since 2002, a least 27 dolphins, including this one have been killed with evidence of being shot by guns, arrows or impaled by sharp objects in the Gulf of Mexico
Anyone with information about the dolphins death can call the NOAA Enforcement hotline at 800-853-1964 OR SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-8477.