JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A necropsy report for the young dolphin seen in a photo being held out of the water by someone last month has been released.
A Jacksonville University marine science professor said there were no surprises when he looked at the report. But he did say the findings for the content inside of that dolphin indicate the dolphin could have been sick.
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In the section from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) titled significant findings, it reads in part: empty stomachs, bloody and lungworms.
The people involved in the investigation believe a dead dolphin found in Nassau County is the same one seen in the photo that went viral, prompted outrage and made national headlines.
The FWC report said the cause of death for the dolphin is undetermined.
Jacksonville University professor Dr. Quinton White said reading about the fluid inside of the dolphin calf’s body wasn’t odd and neither was seeing it had worms. But what he did say could give an indication about the health of the dolphin before it died was what was found in the stomach, which was nothing.
“It might not have been feeding. And so if an animal is killed by blunt trauma or by a boat or something like that, and you do a necropsy, you’re going to find things in the stomach because they’re eating and active. When it gets sick it’s just like you and I, we don’t want to eat, so there’s nothing in their stomach,” White said.
It’s unclear if the dolphin was already dead in the photo.
A UNF professor familiar with the case also reviewed the reports, and she believes the dolphin died after the photo was taken.
The person who was seen holding the dolphin posted on social media that it was an “accident.”
Dr. White said it’s best in situations like this to not remove a dolphin from the water if it’s dead or alive. Harassing or feeding wild dolphins is against federal law.
According to the report, the incident is still an active investigation.
The two people in the photo of the dolphin being hoisted have not been charged with a crime.