Two dolphins have been found dead on a beach in Cornwall.
The gruesome discovery was announced by Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team on Wednesday, Cornwall Live reports.
A post on the coastguard team's Facebook page stated: "Outonashout No. 111/2019 - 04/12/19 - 1113 - Team tasked to a report of a dolphin stranded on Castle Beach, Falmouth.
"On scene, it was found that sadly, two dolphins were deceased.
"We completed the strandings report forms for the Natural History Museum, London and duty of care left with volunteers from the Marine Strandings Network."
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue has issued the following advice if you find a live whale, dolphin or porpoise:
- Provide essential first aid.
- Support the animal in an upright position and dig trenches under the pectoral fins.
- Cover the animal with wet sheets or towels (even seaweed) and keep it moist by spraying or dousing with water.
- Do NOT cover, or let any water pass down the blowhole (nostril), sited on top of the animal's head. This will cause the animal great distress and could even kill it.
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Every movement around a stranded animal should be quiet, calm and gentle. Excessive noise and disturbance will only stress it further.
- Look for any signs of injury and count the number of breaths (opening of the blowhole) that occur over a minute - this can give important clues as to how stressed the animal is.
- Take great care when handling a dolphin, porpoise or whale; keep away from the tail, as it can inflict serious injuries - this is particularly the case with whales and it is advisable to leave handling larger whales until experienced help has arrived. Avoid the animal’s breath, as it may carry some potentially nasty bacteria.
- Provide information: Call the rescue hotline on 01825765546 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm) or 07787 433 412 outside of those hours..
- Under no circumstances, release the animal into the sea before the rescue team has arrived. It is fine to support a smaller dolphin or porpoise in the water, as long as the blowhole is kept above the water at all times, and as long as it is carried to the water carefully, e.g. in a tarpaulin (do NOT drag it or lift it by its fins or tail)
