The animal’s remains were found on the shore with fins and organs removed.
Federal authorities are investigating the corpse of a common dolphin. The remains were found washed up on the coast of New Jersey last week, and the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, a local ocean life response organization, was called to examine them.
The dolphin “appeared to have been butchered,” the center said in a statement. They reported that only the head, dorsal fin, flukes, heart, and lungs were left behind.
Though the common dolphin is not a threatened or endangered species, it is illegal to harm or kill them under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Law enforcement agents from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are investigating the incident.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For NOAA officials as they seek to ensure adherence to the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- For U.S. federal authorities as they investigate the dolphin’s cause of death and the perpetrator.
Sources: AP News, NOAA
