Humpback Dolphin found dead on Perupalem beach in West Godavari district

A sub-adult female Indo Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Sousa chinensis, was found washed ashore with deep injuries at Perupalem beach in West Godavari district on Wednesday. The beach is located near the confluence of the Vasista branch of the Godavari river with the Bay of Bengal.

According to officials, the dolphin is suspected to have been trapped in a fishing net of a mechanised boat. The species is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and is classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

District Forest Officer D. A. Kiran said the carcass was noticed during a routine vigil along the coast to monitor the movement of Olive Ridley turtles. Bhimavaram Forest Range Officer M. Karunakar said fishermen allegedly dumped the carcass after the animal got entangled in their net.

Forest officials conducted a post-mortem examination and an investigation is under way.