Within two days, reports about several marine mammals found dead on the shores of Portland have shown again how devastating the influence of human activities can be on the wellbeing of marine life.
At least three dolphin carcasses and one dead seal were found along Chesil Beach, all washed in along with piles of litter and debris. Since they were washed back out into the deeper bay, however, wildlife organisations cannot yet comment on their cause of death. For a seabird washed in on the same day, the situation was more definitive as it was wrapped up in rope. Only some weeks earlier, another seal and seagull had been found wrapped up in fishing waste in the same area. Luckily, they were rescued before succumbing to a similar fate as the current carcasses in the bay.
In a different report, the “local celebrity” dolphin Danny is thought to have been found dead. He had been a familiar sight along the coast, playful and highly curious. Last year, he already had to be rescued by local fishermen when he became entangled in a yacht morning. Now, his habituation to vessels might have caused his death as a carcass with highly similar marking has been found with ship strike injuries. An investigation has yet to confirm the notion, but the Founder of Marine Connection said she was “99% sure it was Danny.” She further adds that although "the public fell in love with him, we really do need to keep solitary dolphins wild. The more habituated they become to vessels, they lose their wariness and it puts them in danger."
The articles can be found here: https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/18823561.dead-dolphins-seal-wash-ashore-chesil-beach-portland/ and here: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-54722648
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