As many of you are aware, On 12th September, SACD responded to a call from Mr. Ryan Rivera, Oceana’s representative in Corozal Town of a dead dolphin calf that washed up on the shores of Cerros Sands Resort, near Copper Bank Village. The second report of a dead dolphin in just a few weeks. Unlike the first report, where SACD was unable to respond due to logistical constrains, this time the SACD team responded quickly to secure the carcass for examination.
On recommendations of experts, SACD and Wildtracks partnered to ensure a professional examination of the carcass be conducted by a certified veterinarian.
The female dolphin calf was transported to Animal Medical Centre in Belize City for the necropsy – the equivalent to a human autopsy. The carcass measured 1.08 m from the tip of its nose to the tip of its fluke (or tail), which suggests it was still a calf. Based on the results of the necropsy, the most probable cause of death was determined as internal bleeding due to muscle bruises in the chest area as a result of ‘blunt trauma’ (though other causes, whilst less likely, may also have been responsible). Blunt trauma is when the animal has been hit hard by an object, in this case a possible collision with a moving vessel.
People had raised concerns of the contamination of the New River associated with the cause of deaths of the dolphins, which was not the case for the individual that was examined. However, various tissue samples were taken for further analysis related to histology and toxicology to look at any toxicity build up. It should be noted, though that recent contamination research in Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary done by SACD in partnership with ECOSUR in Mexico, show the general condition of the water to be in fairly good state, with signs of nutrification near populated areas (Chetumal, Corozal, Sarteneja) and at the river mouths
The calf appeared to still be nursing with a whole life ahead of her and was also an important part of the fauna of the Wildlife Sanctuary. If you are out on the water in a boat, please watch out for marine mammals – both dolphins and manatees. Use best practices to avoid tragedies such as this.
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