After a crowd “harassed” and attempted to ride a dolphin that was stranded on a Texas beach, the animal died.
A sick dolphin washed onshore at Quintana Beach on Sunday. Beachgoers attempted to swim with the animal and put it back in the sea, the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network stated.
“She was ultimately stranded and was further harassed by a crowd of people on the beach where she later died before rescuers could arrive on scene,” the organization stated.
They added that messing with the wild dolphin may have caused it unnecessary stress. Also, interacting with them isn’t very safe and is actually illegal.
“If a live dolphin or whale strands in Texas, Please DO NOT PUSH the animal back to sea, do not attempt to swim or interact with them, do not crowd them,” their post read.
It is noted that people should look at marine mammals from at least 150 feet away and not feed or touch the animals.
Individuals who have violated these guidelines of the Marine Mammal Protection Act could be fined up to $11,000 and up to a year in prison.
After a beachgoer reported the stranded dolphin, the Quintana Beach County Park recovered it to conduct a necropsy.
