Phil1111 1,149 #1 February 18, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxU-U0oSJ_U An endangered baby dolphin was killed on a beach in Argentina last week after the animal was plucked from the water and passed around by beach-goers for petting and photos. The incident, which took place at the beach resort town of Santa Teresita, has drawn wide condemnation from animal lovers and activists, including the Argentine Wildlife Foundation (AWF), which released a statement urging people to return dolphins encountered near the shore to ocean waters. La Plata dolphins — also known as Franciscana dolphins — are only found in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, and fewer than 30,000 of them remain in the wild, the foundation said. The only type of river dolphin to inhabit saltwater, Franciscana dolphins are categorized as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. The IUNC notes that the main threats to the dolphins are gillnets, which are known to drown, injure or attach to marine mammals, causing extreme fatigue, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But as it turns out, curious swimmers and other beach-goers are also a top threat. Video footage of last week's incident shows the animal being scooped up by a man and quickly surrounded by a curious mob eager to touch the animal. The miniature dolphin, no more than a few feet long, is eventually left to die in the mud, where it can be seen lying motionless. At no point in the footage does it appear that anyone in the crowd intervened or attempted to return the animal to the water. "The potential for recovery of this species is very low," the AWF said. "The Franciscan, like other dolphins, can not long remain above water. It has a very thick and greasy skin that provides warmth, so the weather will quickly cause dehydration and death." NOAA describes La Plata dolphins as "extremely shy and evasive by nature" and notes that what little is known about them is "surrounded by superstition." With video and photos of the animal's death circulating online, the reaction has been furious. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/02/18/endangered-baby-dolphin-dies-after-swimmers-pass-it-around-for-selfies/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #2 February 18, 2016 Disgusting, isn't it? I've swam with dolphins, manta rays, and sea turtles, all in the wild, keeping my distance and respecting them. I hope everyone in this incident feels guilty as hell about what happened. I can't believe someone didn't try to return it to the water. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,314 #3 February 19, 2016 No words... just Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 52 #4 February 20, 2016 A bit like kicking a suckling kitten until it's dead. No, it's worse.lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 220 #5 February 22, 2016 oldwomanc6A bit like kicking a suckling kitten until it's dead. No, it's worse. Like clubbing a baby seal.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #6 March 10, 2016 And another one: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-kills-swan-after-pulling-it-from-lake-for-a-094804381.html "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 333 #7 March 11, 2016 ryoder And another one: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-kills-swan-after-pulling-it-from-lake-for-a-094804381.html That swan had to be nearly dead before she encountered it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 52 #8 March 12, 2016 headoverheels ***And another one: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-kills-swan-after-pulling-it-from-lake-for-a-094804381.html That swan had to be nearly dead before she encountered it. I was thinking the same thing. Otherwise, it would have beat the shit out of her. Swans on land aren't quite as aggressive as geese (or nimble), but enough to do some damage when healthy. I also had to look twice to see where this happened, because it was a mute swan, which should be eradicated in the new world. (flame on). If this had been here, I would have been cheering her on (minus the cruelty, which is never justified). The Chesapeake is one of the many areas where the mute swan is decimating the ecosystem.lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 220 #9 March 12, 2016 oldwomanc6 ******And another one: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-kills-swan-after-pulling-it-from-lake-for-a-094804381.html That swan had to be nearly dead before she encountered it. I was thinking the same thing. Otherwise, it would have beat the shit out of her. Swans on land aren't quite as aggressive as geese (or nimble), but enough to do some damage when healthy. I also had to look twice to see where this happened, because it was a mute swan, which should be eradicated in the new world. (flame on). If this had been here, I would have been cheering her on (minus the cruelty, which is never justified). The Chesapeake is one of the many areas where the mute swan is decimating the ecosystem. Think of all the poor and starving they could feed using the mute swan.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
