CAMERON PARISH, La. — Wildlife officials are working to find out how a dolphin washed up from the Gulf of Mexico with multiple bullets lodged in its brain, spinal cord and heart.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it received a report on March 13 about a dead bottlenose dolphin on West Mae’s Beach in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
The Audubon Nature Institute completed a necropsy which revealed that the juvenile dolphin had injuries consistent with being shot with a firearm.
"The animal appeared to have died from the trauma, which occurred at or near the time of death," NOAA wrote in a release.
NOAA's law enforcement division is continuing to investigate and is asking anyone with information about the dolphin's death to come forward.
A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information leading to a criminal conviction or the assessment of a civil penalty.
Anyone with information should call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964.
Harassing, harming, killing or feeding wild dolphins is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Violations can be prosecuted civilly or criminally and are punishable by up to $100,000 in fines and up to a year in jail per violation.
If you come across an injured, sick, orphaned or dead marine mammal, you are asked to call FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
