In recent months various wildlife groups have called for dolphins to be given more rights following studies showing they have intelligence and emotional development almost on a par with humans. It is all the more disturbing that a story has emerged from Australia where an autopsy has revealed that a dolphin has suffered a horror death at the hands of as yet unknown people.

Gunshots

Tests carried out last week confirmed suspicions that a bottlenose dolphin found at Lower Light Beach, had died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.

The autopsy report said 12 bullets of three different sizes were found in the dolphin’s body, with evidence indicating the animal did not die immediately after it was wounded.

Part of a Pod?

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society director Dr Mike Bossley planned to check if the dolphin belonged to the Port River pod.

“I will try and identify the dolphin using photographs, but I would be surprised if it was one frequently in the Port River,” he said.

Prosecutions

Dr Bossley hoped the people responsible would be identified and prosecuted.

“It’s terribly important where there has been serious crime to make a prosecution, as it will hopefully act as a deterrent to anyone one else.” Dolphin Trauma Group co-ordinator Dr Catherine Kemper said the post-mortem indicated the dolphin had probably died as a result of infections from the gunshot wounds.

“There seems no doubt that this dolphin was shot with a shotgun and perhaps a rifle, but the primary cause of its death is not known,” Dr Kemper said.

Penalties

An Environment Department spokeswoman said dolphins were protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, with maximum penalties of $100,000 and two years imprisonment for harming them.