NOAA offers reward for information on decapitated dolphin on Lea-Hutaff Island
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WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the criminal conviction or the assessment of a civil penalty against the person(s) responsible for the death and decapitation of a dead bottlenose dolphin on Lea-Hutaff Island.
A member of the public originally reported the stranding of a dead dolphin on Lea Island, near marker 105, to the Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline on April 15.
The area is a remote, undeveloped barrier island north of Wilmington only accessible by boat.
When NOAA’s stranding network partner, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, went to the reported location, the 8-foot dolphin had been intentionally mutilated and its head removed.
They determined that someone intentionally removed its head between April 16 and April 18, after they received the initial stranding report.
Based on their initial health assessment of the dolphin, the University suspects the animal is carrying Brucella, a bacteria that causes the infectious bacterial disease brucellosis. The disease can be transferred to humans through direct contact.
UNCW performed a necropsy (animal autopsy) and complete results and cause of death are pending.
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. We are calling on your help to find those responsible.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964. You can leave tips anonymously, but to be eligible for the reward you must include your name and contact information.
Harassing, harming, killing or feeding wild dolphins is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as is collecting protected species parts. Violations can be prosecuted civilly or criminally and are punishable by up to $100,000 in fines and up to 1 year in jail per violation.
Report any stranded or injured marine animals to the Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at (877) WHALE-HELP/ (877) 942-5243).
