PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. (WKRG)- An official with the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge says the dolphin found dead on Pensacola Beach late last month migrated from Mississippi.
Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator Brittany Baldrica says when they got on the scene, the dolphin. “What happens is we bring those animals back and perform a necropsy which is an animal autopsy,” Baldrica said.
Baldrica says she can’t say where the animal died or exactly how. She says they did find a bullet inside the dolphin. Baldrica says dolphins have a lot of contact with humans in the Northern Gulf Coast, which can result in the deaths of animals.
“In this area, a lot of people think it’s ok to feed the dolphins, which it’s not because it’s illegal,” Baldrica said. “It causes these animals to approach the boats and fisherman get angry and it causes them to cause harm to the animals either buy a bullet or we’ve had cases where they have been shot with a bow and arrow.”
NOAA law enforcement division is now investigating.
Officials with the refuge say if you ever find an animal in distress on the beach, you need to call Florida Fish and Wildlife.
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