Dolphins face a host of dangers in the sea, — sharks, killer whales, and sound pollution all pose threates — but one doesn't expect them to have to deal with the danger of guns.
Unfortunately, for one dolphin off the coast of California, that's how it met its end. A sharp-eyed observer saw a
motionless dolphin floating near the shore of Manhattan Beach — a coastal town in Southern California. Luckily, they knew what to do and called a rescue organization to go and investigate. But that was only the beginning of the story.
After the dolphin's body was brought to shore and examined, officials realized that this dolphin hadn't died of natural causes — the poor creature had actually been shot. This is not the first dolphin shooting, unfrotunately. Earlier this year, beachgoers found a pregnant female dolphin on shore that had also been shot.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — one of the organizations charged with implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) —
if caught, the culprit could face up to one year in prison and $100,000 in fines. This killer must be caught and brought to justice so our government can make an example out of them. We must make sure animal abusers are held responsible for their crimes.
Sign the petition and tell NOAA to take this dolphin death seriously and work to find the killer.