Nature
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US federal authorities are investigating after the partial remains of a dolphin were discovered lying on a New Jersey beach.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.On Wednesday, October 30, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center team were called to Allenhurst, New Jersey to look at the remains of an animal. Upon arrival, the stranding coordinator found that the short-beaked common dolphin appeared to have been butchered by humans (warning: graphic image ahead).
"The animal’s flesh had been completely removed with clean cuts from a sharp instrument, leaving only the head, dorsal fin and flukes," the Marine Mammal Stranding Center explained in a statement posted to Facebook. "The animal’s organs, except for the heart and lungs, had been removed."
On Tuesday, the night before the dolphin was found, there were reports of a dolphin struggling near the beach from around a block away. However, witnesses reported that the dolphin was able to swim back out to sea, and the Marine Mammal Stranding Center is unsure whether it was the same animal found on Wednesday.
The animal's remains were photographed by the Center, before they were given a beach burial. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement is now investigating the case.
