Dead dolphin found off Qawra point

Female juvenile striped dolphin had no superficial wounds

File photo
File photo

Officials from the Environment Protection Directorate were alerted to the presence of a dead dolphin floating in the rough seas below Fra Ben in Qawra.

After being hauled ashore, from initial inspections it was confirmed that the protected mammal, a female juvenile 'striped dolphin' of between 7 and 10 years and measuring 1.8m in length, had no superficial wounds. Although it is still not clear as to why this individual dolphin died, the Veterinary Division have indicated that the mammal has been dead between 4 to 7 days.

A full necropsy is being carried out to better understand the reason of the death of this dolphin, following which the carcass will be incinerated.

The Authority thanked the Qawra Police Station, Nature Trust, the Civil Protection Department, the Public Cleansing Department and the Veterinary Division.