Baby dolphin dies after it is pulled out of the water for tourist selfies
A baby dolphin has died after tourists on a crowded beach removed it from the water to pose for selfies with it.
Animal lovers around the world have vented their fury after a dolphin that approached the popular Spanish holiday beach of Mojacar was swarmed by tourists.
Bathers played with the dolphin in the shallows, inadvertently blocking her breathing hole and pulling her from the water for pictures causing stress that proved fatal, whale and dolphin conservation group Equinac confirmed.
Further images, shared to Twitter and Facebook, showed tourists patting and holding the dolphin as they posed for photos.
Tourists shared images of them holding and patting the baby dolphin. Source: Twitter
Spanish beachgoers have been slammed for their handling of the dolphin. Source: Twitter
Animal experts from Equinac were on the scene after 15 minutes but the dolphin had already died.
“The animal was submitted to the curiosity of those who wanted to photograph and touch it,” the group wrote.
“The photographs showed children touching the animal, unintentionally covering the spiracle. It’s not an animal for children or adults to caress.
“We’re not saying that the bathers were responsible for it becoming stranded.
“But crowding round to photograph and touch it of course causes these animals to become extremely stressed.”
Experts from Equinac hold the baby dolphin after it was found dead on the popular Spanish beach. Source: Twitter
Twitter users responded with outrage.
"If you go to the beach, leave your stupidity at home," one man said.
"Did you take selfies after it died?" asked another.
