France: Hundreds of dead dolphins wash up on Atlantic coast, scientists concerned

Hundreds of dead dolphins have been found washed on the shores of France’s Atlantic coast, a reality that has concerned many marine biologists and environmentalist. According to the reports, more than 1000 dolphins have been killed in the last three years. The dolphins, drowned in the nets of sea trawlers, are mostly found during four winter months, international media reported. 

Common dolphins worst hit

However, scientists believe that those found on beaches represent just a small number of those dying with real number five to ten times higher. They have also revealed that one species that have been hit worse is the common Dolphins. As per reports, all the dead mammals have found to be mutilated, fractured with their tail and flippers broken. Scientists have asserted that these nets cause deep cuts in the body of the mammals. Morgane Perri, a marine biologist from Britanny, speaking to international media reporters said that the mortality rates of dolphins have reached to such a high that it has started to threaten the survival of the species. 

Dolphins have been caught in the Atlantic ocean for decades, however, the scientist believes that it is the shift in fishing practices and sea vehicles have resulted in the sudden surge. The laws in France require all fishermen to declare all the dolphins, Whales, Porpoise they catch, but the law is seldom followed. 

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Meanwhile, regular sightings of Dolphins in the Bosphorous strait have made headlines not only in Turkey but also across the world. According to media reports, sighting the mammals was a rare and joyful sight for the residents in the Bosphorus but fewer ships and more fishes in the sea have prompted the dolphins to swim closer to the sea. This cones as the sight of amateur fishers lighting fires on the Galata bridge and banks of Bosphorus, which made the city’s most iconic scenes, are now almost deserted due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

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Read: Video: Dolphins Swim Closer To Shores Amid COVID-19 Lockdown In Turkey

 Image credits: wynand_uys/Unsplash