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Baby dolphin dies after mob of beachgoers play with it, take pictures

Equinac SOURCE: Equinac
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Baby dolphin dies after mob of beachgoers play with it, take pictures
An animal rescue group in Spain is condemning a group of beachgoers whose actions reportedly led to the death of a baby dolphin. According to Equinac, a baby dolphin was stranded on the beach Aug. 11 in Mojácar when a massive amount of "curious" people began to surround the animal. Adults and children touched, photographed and passed the dolphin around. Throughout this process, some accidentally covered up the animal's blowhole, the rescue group said. A concerned witness called the country's emergency services number, but the dolphin was dead by the time Equinac arrived. “Once again we note that the human being is the most irrational species that exists,” Equinac wrote. “There are many incapable of empathy for a living being that is alone, scared, starved, without his mother and terrified…. All you want to do is to photograph and poke, even if the animal suffers from stress.”Equinac clarified later that the baby dolphin may have been sick or separated from its mother, but pointed out that the mob of beachgoers likely caused the animal major distress. "Cetaceans are animals very susceptible to stress, and their manipulation, crowding them to take pictures and touch them, causes them a very strong shock that greatly accelerates a cardio respiratory failure, which is what finally happened," the statement read, in part. The group added that dolphins are highly protected and disturbing, manipulating or harming them is against the law.

An animal rescue group in Spain is condemning a group of beachgoers whose actions reportedly led to the death of a baby dolphin.

According to Equinac, a baby dolphin was stranded on the beach Aug. 11 in Mojácar when a massive amount of "curious" people began to surround the animal.

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Adults and children touched, photographed and passed the dolphin around. Throughout this process, some accidentally covered up the animal's blowhole, the rescue group said.

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This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

A concerned witness called the country's emergency services number, but the dolphin was dead by the time Equinac arrived.

“Once again we note that the human being is the most irrational species that exists,” Equinac wrote. “There are many [who are] incapable of empathy for a living being that is alone, scared, starved, without his mother and terrified…. All you want to do is to photograph and poke, even if the animal suffers from stress.”

This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Equinac clarified later that the baby dolphin may have been sick or separated from its mother, but pointed out that the mob of beachgoers likely caused the animal major distress.

"Cetaceans are animals very susceptible to stress, and their manipulation, crowding them to take pictures and touch them, causes them a very strong shock that greatly accelerates a cardio respiratory failure, which is what finally happened," the statement read, in part.

The group added that dolphins are highly protected and disturbing, manipulating or harming them is against the law.