Authorities of the Civil Protection Directorate indicated that in less than 24 hours three lifeless bottlenose dolphins washed up on the coasts of Isla del Carmen; two of them appeared in the area of Playa Norte and another one in the Manigua neighborhood; the probable cause of death of these marine specimens would be poaching.
The last data offered by Municipal Civil Protection indicate that in less than 24 hours three dolphins of the species known as “bottlenose”, one of the most common species in Laguna de Términos, were found.
The lifeless appearance of these cetaceans could be the result of illegal fishing by boatmen who leave their nets without any care, causing these animals to get stuck and lose their lives.
The three dolphins found were buried at the seashore; meanwhile, the municipal officials informed that they will pay more attention to prevent further deaths of marine animals that are an important part of the island’s ecosystem.
Likewise, the authorities reminded that this species of dolphin is protected by the National System of Fauna and Marine Life, since this kind of cetacean is the most hunted by fishermen, who use its meat to sell it.
Therefore, Civil Protection warns that in case of discovering someone hunting this species or doing something against it, he/she will suffer penal and legal consequences, which can range from economic fines of several thousand pesos to one to three years in prison, according to Mexican laws.
Despite the dramatic nature of this report, the dolphin species of the Gulf of Mexico are not yet as threatened as others in various regions of the world, such as the Hector’s dolphin in New Zealand, the Gulf of Corinth dolphin, the Indus river dolphin, the Irawadi river dolphin in Southeast Asia, the Amazon dolphin and the Rio de la Plata dolphin.
All of them are victims of fishing activities when they fall into the nets used to catch fish, although the pollution of the seas and human action to hunt them has also caused them great damage to their population.
Experts estimate that there are currently nine and a half million dolphins in the world; however, the number of annual deaths could reach one hundred thousand specimens.
TYT Newsroom
