A RARE dolphin which washed up dead on Saunton Sands had starved to death, according to a post mortem. The female striped dolphin was discovered by Bill Hibbs, who was walking along the beach during the bank holiday weekend when he saw the animal lying motionless on the sand. The Swansea Coastguard was alerted and a team moved the dolphin above the high water mark, so it would not be dragged away by the sea.
The animal has since been transported by marine biologist Rob Deaville to the Institute of Zoology where he carried out a post mortem in London. Mr Deaville, the project manager for the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, which is funded by Defra, said the juvenile female, measuring only 1.6m long, was in a moderate to poor state with parasites in her stomach and externally on her fin and body, quite similar to barnacles.
Mr Deaville said it was difficult to determine whether the parasites were the cause of the dolphin's starvation or whether the parasites increased after little food was being eaten. The carcass of the dolphin has now been incinerated, while some of its bones have been kept for further analysis. UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme has dealt with 20,000 strandings in its 20-year existence.
"A Striped Dolphin is a relatively rare sighting with them usually being found in warmer waters such as the Mediterranean. Seven have been found in the UK over the last 12 months with most being in the South West." - Rob Deaville, UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme
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