Bayworld marine biologist Dr Greg Hofmeyr has called for boat crews to keep a lookout for marine mammals after a dolphin, apparently killed by a speeding vessel, washed up at Bluewater Bay at the weekend.
Hofmeyr said on Wednesday he had been alerted on Saturday evening by a member of the public about the dolphin, which had washed up on Bluewater Bay Beach about 200m east of the Swartkops Estuary mouth.
He said it was too late to see properly on Saturday but he returned on Sunday to do a necropsy where he was able to see clearly why the animal, a large female bottlenose dolphin, had died.
“Her spinal cord was broken behind her neck and lower down as well.
“She also had severe bruising on the left side of her head and neck.
“She also had several broken ribs and a deep, straight 20cm-long cut along her right side.
“This terrible damage was clearly done while she was alive, which is why there was such extensive bruising.
“The cut is consistent with a propeller cut,” Hofmeyr said.
He said the dolphin was a mature female more than 2.4m long.
“There was nothing else wrong with her. She had a good layer of blubber. She was in the prime of her life.
“It can only have been a collision with a boat that killed her.
“These animals are intelligent and agile, so the boat must have been moving very fast.
“I’m sure she must have died instantly.”
He said Algoa Bay was not called “the bottlenose capital of the world” for nothing.
“There are a lot of these animals in our bay and people must please keep a look out for them and all other marine animals when they are out there on their boats, and pilot their vessels with care.”
Anyone who comes across a stranded marine animal, dead or alive, should call the stranding hotline on 071-724-2122.
HeraldLIVE
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