It is always exciting when we manage to spot an unusual animal in the wild. But it is important to remember animals must be treated with care and respect at all times.
Recently, beachgoers in Washington County, Texas, came across a stranded dolphin. Sadly, after being physically harassed, the dolphin passed away before help could arrive.
Source: Facebook
The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network (TMMSN) has warned locals that such harassment could cause undue stress to dolphins. The act is also illegal and punishable by jail time and fines.
According to the Facebook post, the stranded but alive dolphin was found on Quintana Beach on 10 Apr.
After beachgoers spotted the animal, they reportedly pushed it back to sea, where they tried to swim with and ride on it.
Source: Facebook
The wild dolphin passed away before rescue authorities from Quintana Beach County Park arrived.
The group of dolphin rescuers said such harassment causes wild dolphins “undue stress”, especially when they are already stranded and likely sick, to begin with.
Those who come across stranded dolphins or whales in Texas are urged not to push the animals back to sea, let alone swim, interact or crowd with and around them.
Not only is it dangerous for beachgoers to interact with the animals, but such actions are also illegal. Offenders may face fines and jail time if convicted.
Dolphin rescuers said those living in Texas should immediately call 1-800-9MAMMAL (1-800-962-6625) to receive instructions on how they can help such animals until the TMMSN rescue team arrives.
In Singapore, if you come across a wild animal that needs help, you can contact ACRES for assistance.
Whales or dolphins may sometimes get stranded on the shore because they are sick, old or simply disoriented.
Whatever the reason, we need to avoid giving the animals more stress, which interacting with them will invariably cause.
The beachgoers in this incident were only trying to help, but their well-meaning actions did the stranded dolphin more harm than good.
We hope that they will stay calm and follow instructions if similar incidents occur in the future so as to give stranded animals the best chance of survival.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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