As much as $20,000 is up for grabs for anyone who can provide information on the fatal shooting of a juvenile dolphin in Louisiana.
As detailed in a recent press release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement, a "member of the public" first came across the stranded bottlenose dolphin in the West Mae’s Beach area of Cameron Parish in March. From there, the dead dolphin sighting was reported to local officials, who recovered the mammal for a necropsy.
Officials later discovered "multiple bullets" lodged in the dolphin’s brain, spinal cord, and heart. As the search continues for who, exactly, is responsible for the dolphin's death, investigators have asked the general public's help in identifying the culprit and/or securing a conviction.
Killing such animals, of course, can lead to jail time for those responsible. Specifically, fatally shooting a bottlenose dolphin, whether juvenile or adult, constitutes a direct violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, enacted by Congress in 1972. This legislation notably emphasizes the importance of healthy ecosystems by prohibiting certain actions by humans.
Bottlenose dolphins, though not considered endangered, are indeed protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Other threats facing such dolphins include pollution, disease, boat strikes, and all manner of "human disturbance."
This isn’t the first time a dolphin was found shot to death, thus spurring an investigation. In 2018, a dolphin was found dead on Manhattan Beach in California, with local officials confirming its death was due to a gunshot wound.
