Published 21:12 IST, February 12th 2020
Netizens furious as dolphins with bullet & stab wounds wash ashore
Two dead dolphins with stab and bullet wound have been found in the US. NOAA would offer a reward of up to $20,000 (£15,400) for information on the culprit.
Two dead dolphins with stab and bullet wound have been found in the US. One of the creatures was discovered by biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Naples, Florida, late last week. While, Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge experts recovered the other dolphin with a bullet in its left side along Pensacola Beach, Florida, international media reported.
Following the incident, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement has reportedly announced that it would offer a reward of up to USD 20,000 (£15,400) for information that leads to a civil penalty or criminal conviction of the person or persons responsible for either of the recent deaths.
The administration also said that 29 dolphins have been found stranded in the southeast of the country since 2002, and there is evidence they were shot by guns or arrows or impaled with objects like fishing spears. It has also advised people not to feed wild animals, as this is believed to be part of the problem.
Research has suggested that dolphins are one of the most intelligent leaving creatures. According to the World Wildlife Fund, dolphins play an important role in keeping their environment in balance. They eat other animals - mainly fish and squid - and are themselves a source of food for some sharks and other creatures.
'Aweful'
As soon as the pictures hit the internet, netizens were both stunned and furious.
Updated 21:12 IST, February 12th 2020