Butchered Dolphin Remains Found on Popular Beach

Authorities in New Jersey came across a grim discovery last week when the partial remains of a dolphin were found at a beach in Allenhurst, just north of Asbury Park. The mammal appeared to have been butchered with surgical precision, and an investigation is now underway into how it died and who abused the corpse. 

The incident was brought to the public's attention via a Facebook post from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. The non-profit organization, which is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine mammals, wrote that it had responded to "a very disturbing call" on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

"When our Stranding Coordinator arrived, he found a common dolphin that appeared to have been butchered," the post explained. "The animal’s flesh had been completely removed with clean cuts from a sharp instrument, leaving only the head, dorsal fin, and flukes. The animal’s organs, except for the heart and lungs, had been removed."

The night before the corpse was discovered, the organization wrote that a live dolphin had been reported struggling in the surf approximately one block away. However, witnesses said that the animal had been able to clear the sandbar and had last been seen swimming back out into the ocean. As such, it's unclear whether it was the same dolphin later found dead.

The post added that the dolphin’s remains were brought to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center to be "thoroughly documented and photographed" by staff, and that the carcass was buried on the beach. The case has since been put under investigation by the the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, and the public is being asked to call a 24-hour hotline if they have any information.

Back in April, NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement was investigating another incident in which a bottlenose dolphin had been found shot dead with a firearm on West Mae’s Beach in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. "The animal appeared to have died from the trauma, which occurred at or near the time of death," the agency said at the time, offering a $20,000 reward for any information.

Dolphins are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it a crime to hunt, harass, capture, or kill them. Anyone who violates the law could be slapped with up to $100,000 in fines and sentenced to one year in prison per violation.