Dolphin carcasses wash ashore at Nagapattinam

Representational Image

The carcasses of 23 dolphins were washed ashore in Vedaranyam coast in this district in the past two days, forest department officials said.

Most of the dead dolphins varied in size and weight and were in a highly decomposed state, they said. Ayub Khan, Forest Ranger, Kodiakarai, said the forest department had passed on the information to the district administration and other top government officials.

The ranger pointed out that dolphins are found in large numbers near the Kodiakarai-Vedaranyam coast every year between November and April. "Destructive fishing practices like pair-trawling and use of purse seine fishing nets could potentially cause damage to the dolphins. These fishing practices have been banned by the Government," he said.

In the past two months, 40 dead dolphins (including the present 23) have been washed ashore in the coastal belt of Nagapattinam district, he said, adding that the department was carrying out a detailed analysis to ascertain the exact cause for the incident.

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