Two baby dolphins that made the mistake of swimming too close to a crowded Argentina beach last week were pulled out of the ocean and tormented by throngs of tourists that wanted a picture, and sadly, one of them didn’t survive. The dolphins were rare Franciscana dolphins, a vulnerable species that can only be found in southeastern South America. And, unfortunately, like all dolphins, they can’t stay out of water for very long.
An environmentalist from the Vida Silvestre Foundation later said, “Dolphins have very thick and greasy skin that provides warmth, so the weather will quickly cause dehydration and death.” It’s not clear what happened to the other dolphin, but with any luck someone in this group of raging idiots had the good sense to return it to the ocean in time.
This is a terrible incident that could have easily been prevented, but hopefully at the very least it will keep others from interfering with wildlife on the quest for the almighty selfie or Instagram post.
(Via India Times)
