Wildlife officials in North Carolina are offering a reward of $20,000 for information about the decapitation of a dolphin on a remote coastal island.
The 8ft-long dolphin was initially found, intact, on Lea-Hutaff Island in the state by a member of the public. When staff from the marine mammal stranding team from the University of North Carolina Wilmington arrived a few days later to investigate, they found the animal’s head had been removed.
“This animal was intentionally decapitated, a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The remote location where the dolphin was found adds to the difficulty of investigating this incident and cause of death,” said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries’ office of law enforcement in a statement.
It added that an initial health assessment of the dolphin showed the animal was likely carrying Brucella, a bacteria that causes the infectious disease brucellosis and can be passed on to humans through direct contact.
Anyone convicted of mutilating the dolphin could face a fine of up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail.
Lea-Hutaff Island is a remote and undeveloped barrier island north of the city of Wilmington and is only accessible by boat. The island is a haven for turtles, as well as shorebirds, wading birds, waterfowl and marsh birds during their nesting, migration and wintering seasons.
