CAMERON PARISH, La. – A dolphin peppered with bullet holes was discovered in March in Louisiana. Now, authorities are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the bloodthirsty killer of the mammal.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration received a report on March 13 that a young bottlenose dolphin was found dead on West Mae’s Beach in Cameron Parish, the Washington Examiner reported.
A necropsy — autopsy for an animal — revealed “multiple bullets lodged in the carcass, including in the brain, spinal cord, and heart of the dolphin,” according to an NOAA report.
As a result, officials determined the dolphin suffered severe trauma “at or near the time of death.”
The NOAA’s law enforcement division is leading the death investigation and has offered a reward for information leading to the criminal conviction or assessment of civil penalty for the person(s) responsible for killing the dolphin.
Upon a criminal conviction, the killer(s) could receive up to one year in jail per violation and a fine of up to $100,000.
“This specific incident appears to be intentional,” communications specialist for NOAA Allison Garrett told the Washington Examiner. “Any intentional death of a marine mammal is harmful to a species population and that is why there are specific laws and regulations that NOAA OLE enforces.”
Harassing, harming, killing, or feeding wild dolphins is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
”While these types of incidents are not common, unfortunately they are not unheard of,” Garrett said.
