Chetumal, Q.R. — Environmental authorities are investigating the death of a dolphin found washed up in Chetumal Bay. The calf is believed to have died approximately a week before landing in the Bay.
City residents saw the body floating in the water Thursday morning. Personnel from the Quintana Roo Institute of Biodiversity and Natural Protected Areas (Ibanqroo) arrived to conduct a preliminary assessment.
According to their report, the dolphin was a Tursiops truncatus, commonly known as the bottlenose dolphin. The body showed no visible external injuries, and according to them, died approximately a week ago.
The calf was transferred to El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (Ecosur) for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The analyses will be essential to assess whether this was an isolated incident or if there are systemic factors affecting the local marine fauna.
