Several bullets have been found lodged in a juvenile bottlenose dolphin's carcass, which was discovered on a Louisiana beach. The discovery of the lodged bullets was revealed through an animal autopsy.
Dead Dolphin With Multiple Bullets Lodged
On March 13, NOAA Fisheries received a report of the dead bottlenose dolphin washed up. It was reportedly found dead along West Mae's Beach in Cameron Paris.
The NOAA revealed in a statement that multiple bullets were lodged in the heart, brain, and spinal cord of the young bottlenose dolphin. Such bullet findings align with being shot with a firearm. The juvenile bottlenose dolphin died due to internal trauma, which occurred near or at the time of its death.
With such animal autopsy findings, the Office of Law Enforcement of the NOAA is investigating the dolphin's mysterious and violent death. The office is also appealing for help from the public. They have offered a substantial cash incentive for any crucial information that could lead to civil penalty assessments or criminal convictions. NOAA fisheries share that they are willing to offer cash rewards of up to $20,000 for such.
Bottlenose Dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins can be found in temperate and warm seas worldwide. They can be spotted from tropical to polar waters. They live in inshore and offshore settings, such as river mouths, estuaries, and bays.
These creatures are highly social. In fact, dolphins can usually be found in pods, which are tight-knit social groups. A pod can contain a few dolphins, up to over a dozen bottlenose dolphins.
Across the Gulf of Mexico, close to where the dead juvenile bottlenose dolphin was found, there are thought to be around 31 unique populations of bottlenose dolphins. According to the Marine Mammal Commission, these dolphins in the area still reel from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. This event led to a whopping decline in the dolphin population, equivalent to around 45%.
There are estimated to be around 600,000 bottlenose dolphins worldwide. Each one has a lifespan of up to 60 years in the wild. Their diet mainly consists of shrimp, eels, squid, and different types of fish. When fully grown adults, these dolphins can span between 6.6 feet and 13.1 feet in length.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects each dolphin and whale species and prohibits the harm, harassment, killing, or feeding of wild dolphins. If such rules are broken, lawbreakers could be fined up to $100,00 or sentenced to up to one year in jail for each respective violation.
Though not classified as endangered, bottlenose dolphins still face various dangers and challenges. These threats include boat collisions, pollution, oil spills, fish gear entanglements, and human disruptions.
RELATED ARTICLE: Bottlenose Dolphin Found on a South Carolina Beach; Mummified Animal May Have Been Dead for Months
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