Harassed Dolphin Dies on Texas Beach

CalPolyTechnique · Apr 16, 2022

A sick dolphin stranded on a Texas beach died after beachgoers reportedly tried to push it back into the water so they could swim with it and ride on top of it, the non-profit Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network says.

“She was ultimately stranded and was further harassed by a crowd of people on the beach where she later died before rescuers could arrive on scene,” the network wrote in a post on Facebook.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/16/us/dolphin-dies-on-texas-beach-trnd/index.html

Hardline · Apr 16, 2022

Sorry *******s.

Runwildboys · Apr 16, 2022

"Harassed" seems like a word the authorities use for anyone interacting in any way with the animal. I'm sure most, if not all the people had good intentions.

VaqueroTD · Apr 16, 2022

Sorry dolphin, the whole evolved higher intelligence thing with your homo sapien counterparts is greatly overrated.

Roadtrip635 · Apr 17, 2022

Runwildboys said:
"Harassed" seems like a word the authorities use for anyone interacting in any way with the animal. I'm sure most, if not all the people had good intentions.

I was a volunteer with that same Marine Mammal stranding network in Galveston while I was in college. I'm sure there were some with good intentions, but messing with it, shoving it and rolling around, taking selfies etc.the dolphin was already sick or injured and all that added stress just exacerbates the problem. You want to keep the dolphin as calm as possible, keep it hydrated and make it as comfortable as possible until help arrives.

CalPolyTechnique · Apr 17, 2022

Runwildboys said:
"Harassed" seems like a word the authorities use for anyone interacting in any way with the animal. I'm sure most, if not all the people had good intentions.

Yeah man, I’m sure.

Runwildboys · Apr 17, 2022

CalPolyTechnique said:
Yeah man, I’m sure.

Look, I don't like most people, but there really aren't many who I could imagine being cruel to a beached dolphin.

CalPolyTechnique · Apr 17, 2022

Runwildboys said:
Look, I don't like most people, but there really aren't many who I could imagine being cruel to a beached dolphin.

Dolphin in Florida found with stab wound in head.

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/ny...lly-stabbed-at-fort-meyers-florida-beach/amp/

I feel quite the opposite. People in general suck and there is no depth to the depravity. This is unrelated but came to mind. Some dorks at a National park knocking over rock formations.

Runwildboys · Apr 17, 2022

CalPolyTechnique said:
Dolphin in Florida found with stab wound in head.

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/ny...lly-stabbed-at-fort-meyers-florida-beach/amp/

I feel quite the opposite. People in general suck and there is no depth to the depravity. This is unrelated but came to mind. Some dorks at a National park knocking over rock formations.

Ignorant tools. So ignorant they apparently think most people will "like" that video.

There's a big difference between defacing a national park and intentional harming a stranded dolphin, though, and while I agree that there's no limit to the depths of depravity some people have, I think the vast majority would have compassion for a dolphin...A human, not so much, but a dolphin, yes. Of course, there are exceptions, but unless it was a gang or a group of idiotic teenagers, or something along those lines, I can't see them wanting to hurt it.

SlammedZero · Apr 17, 2022

That's another dark side of social media. The motivation it presents for people to do idiotic things on camera so they can collect likes and have their lives' validated by others on how "cool" they are.

I could see people thinking pushing a dolphin back into the water would save it, but to try and ride it? Come on. Idiots. I hope they see this news piece and feel great about themselves.

CalPolyTechnique · Apr 17, 2022

Runwildboys said:
Ignorant tools. So ignorant they apparently think most people will "like" that video.

There's a big difference between defacing a national park and intentional harming a stranded dolphin, though, and while I agree that there's no limit to the depths of depravity some people have, I think the vast majority would have compassion for a dolphin...A human, not so much, but a dolphin, yes. Of course, there are exceptions, but unless it was a gang or a group of idiotic teenagers, or something along those lines, I can't see them wanting to hurt it.

People abuse animals all the time. I'm not sure why you think this is something beyond the pale. Do I think if 10 people came across the Dolphin that nine of them would do something inappropriate to it? No, but it only takes a few.

Runwildboys · Apr 17, 2022

CalPolyTechnique said:
People abuse animals all the time. I'm not sure why you think this is something beyond the pale. Do I think if 10 people came across the Dolphin that nine of them would do something inappropriate to it? No, but it only takes a few.

Of course people abuse animals, but for one thing, they won't usually do that in front of others, especially strangers, and also, a dolphin isn't just any animal. Seeing one washed up on shore isn't a common occurrence for most people. I think the natural reaction for the overwhelming majority of people would be a bit of awe, mixed with empathy for a very intelligent and nearly universally considered cute animal.

Roadtrip635 · Apr 17, 2022

Runwildboys said:
Of course people abuse animals, but for one thing, they won't usually do that in front of others, especially strangers, and also, a dolphin isn't just any animal. Seeing one washed up on shore isn't a common occurrence for most people. I think the natural reaction for the overwhelming majority of people would be a bit of awe, mixed with empathy for a very intelligent and nearly universally considered cute animal.

Social media has shown us that there are a lot of stupid people out there, wanting to push it in the water to ride it was stupid. Bad intentions or stupid intentions the results were the same. The chances were slim that that stranded dolphin would have survived, dolphins usually strand due to illness or injury, but due to the mishandling that dolphin's chance went to zero.

Runwildboys · Apr 17, 2022

Roadtrip635 said:
Social media has shown us that there are a lot of stupid people out there, wanting to push it in the water to ride it was stupid. Bad intentions or stupid intentions the results were the same. The chances were slim that that stranded dolphin would have survived, dolphins usually strand due to illness or injury, but due to the mishandling that dolphin's chance went to zero.

Right, but my initial point was that I don't think most, if any of the people had malice in mind. Stupidity is just assumed, though to be honest, if I'd come across a beached dolphin, I probably would have tried to help it back into the water too. Now that I've read the article, I'll know that's probably not the best thing to do. I don't know what would be, but clearly that course of action is frowned upon...Maybe find a bucket and keep the animal wet until a marine biologist (not George Costanza) comes along?

Roadtrip635 · Apr 17, 2022

Runwildboys said:
Right, but my initial point was that I don't think most, if any of the people had malice in mind. Stupidity is just assumed, though to be honest, if I'd come across a beached dolphin, I probably would have tried to help it back into the water too. Now that I've read the article, I'll know that's probably not the best thing to do. I don't know what would be, but clearly that course of action is frowned upon...Maybe find a bucket and keep the animal wet until a marine biologist (not George Costanza) comes along?

Titleist?

Call beach patrol/police/stranded mammal center, keep it as calm as possible. Because it lives in water, I think people forget it breathes air and pushing it back in the water will likely drown it. Try to keep it as calm and comfortable as possible, keep people away, no loud noises, commotions, keep it wet, soaked towels/tshirts etc. Their weight is supported in water, on land it compresses lungs/organs and such, gently dig a little trench around it to help support it, pour water in the trench to keep it wet and cool. It seems like someone could have used google to find out what to do instead of taking selfies.

Oz-of-Cowboy-Country · Apr 17, 2022

I could see someone trying to feel special by swimming with a dolphin. Unknowingly doing more harm than good.

jsb357 · Apr 20, 2022

according to the story...

"By then the perpetrators were long [gone] and the animal was dead,"

so how did they know people were trying to ride it?

i'm just asking...

joseephuss · Apr 20, 2022

jsb357 said:
according to the story...

"By then the perpetrators were long [gone] and the animal was dead,"

so how did they know people were trying to ride it?

i'm just asking...

I'm assuming there were onlookers who observed what was happening and called in the park officials. By the time the officials arrived, the dolphin was dead, but the onlookers were still there and told them of the alleged incident..

Runwildboys · Apr 20, 2022

joseephuss said:
I'm assuming there were onlookers who observed what was happening and called in the park officials. By the time the officials arrived, the dolphin was dead, but the onlookers were still there and told them of the alleged incident..

That was my assumption as well. I also suspect the onlookers took a joke about riding it seriously.

G2 · Apr 20, 2022

If only it had been a Tiger Shark play 'Possum.

Harassed Dolphin Dies on Texas Beach

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