A local group has asked for community help in preventing dolphin deaths from sunburn following the death of Peel-Inlet resident Frill on Sunday.
Mandurah Dolphin Rescue Project has said on Facebook that they can’t monitor the whole area of the Peel-Harvey waterways for stranded dolphins, because it was so vast.
“The tragedy is that no one found her while she was stranded and therefore we could not help her get to deeper waters before she suffered the burns,” the Facebook post.
”This is where we would like to encourage people to keep a look out when on the estuary and if you ever see a dolphin, or any other wildlife in distress, please call the helpline.”
The group said 17 of the 80 dolphins identified in the Peel-Harvey waterways had been stranded and some more than once.
Some of the animals have been spotted quickly after stranding and pushed to deeper water, some had suffered “horrific sunburn” and survived, but others like Frill had not been so lucky.
Mandurah Peel-Inlet resident dolphin Frill found in Coodanup on Sunday, stripped of most skin in the shallow water.
Her tissue samples were taken for genetic testing to determine her age but an autopsy was unable to be performed due to the deteriorated condition of her body.
To report dolphin injuries contact 94749055.
Carla Hildebrandt
Journalist at the Mandurah Mail
Journalist at the Mandurah Mail
