Authorities Offering Reward for Answers After Dolphin Found Shot to Death
The grisly crime could carry a hefty fine or jail time.
Dolphins are one of the most beloved marine mammals, but that doesn't mean that all people treat them with love and care. Last month, a dolphin washed up on Mae's Beach in Louisiana's Cameron Parish with apparent bullet wounds. Now, officials are searching for answers—and a culprit.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration performed a necropsy on the animal, which was found to have "multiple bullets lodged in the carcass, including in the brain, spinal cord, and heart of the dolphin," according to a statement. Those injuries were fatal. "The animal appeared to have died from the trauma, which occurred at or near the time of death," NOAA said.
NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case and searching for any information related to the dolphin's death. "We are offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to a criminal conviction or the assessment of a civil penalty," the agency said.
Dolphins are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it a crime to hunt, harass, capture, or kill any marine mammal, or even attempt to do so. You can expect up to $100,000 in fines and up to one year in jail per violation if you break this law.
Related: Video: Fisherman Spots Pair of Pink Dolphins in Louisiana
Sadly, it's nowhere near the first time someone in the U.S. has seemingly killed one of these animals for sport. Back in 2020, Florida officials found a dead bottlenose dolphin with a massive hole in its face believed to be caused by a bullet or spear. And in 2022, another dead dolphin washed ashore in Florida with a stab wound in its head.
If you have any information relevant to the latest death in Louisiana, call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964.