A dolphin calf with wounds all over its body washed ashore and was found dead near Coastal Battery in the early hours of Thursday. Measuring around one-and-half to two feet in length, the calf is suspected to belong to the Delphinus Delphis species. The dead calf was spotted by children of fishermen near the Coastal Battery area. The children who found the dead dolphin told that it had been injured near the stomach when it washed ashore. An Olive Ridley Turtle was also found dead opposite to the Aqua Sports Complex yesterday morning.
Last year, a bigger dolphin had washed ashore dead near the Pedajalaripeta area in the month of April. Pointing out that December to March is the breeding season for dolphins, Prof MS Chakravarthy of the marine living resources department at Andhra University said, “Usually, it is during this time of the year they come close to the shore because of the breeding season. We can’t determine the cause of death without seeing the specimen and noting the injuries. The dolphins usually come up to the breaker zone, where the waves break and they are normally seen in pairs”.
Judging by the size of the calf, Chakravarthy told that the age of the dolphin could be around three to four months. He added, “The dolphins normally are seen up to the continental shelf, which in the case of Vizag stretches to about 25 miles from the coast. Beyond that there is a sudden slope, so they won’t go beyond that level”.
ImageCredits:http:portphillipmarinelife.net.au
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