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The Animal Legal Defense Fund is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who stabbed and killed a dolphin.
Authorities found a dead bottlenose dolphin on a beach in Fort Myers on March 24.
Results from a necropsy indicated the lactating dolphin was likely still caring for a young calf.
Biologists believe the dolphin was begging with her head above water and mouth open when she was killed. Investigators found stab wounds in her head, just above her right eye, from a spear-like object.
The death is the 31st intentional dolphin death in the Gulf of Mexico in the last two decades.
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“Animal victims deserve justice. This dolphin’s death was intentional — and the individual(s) responsible must be held accountable,” says Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells. “Animal cruelty is a serious crime, and it is critical for individuals with information to report it to authorities. We commend the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for its diligence in investigating this crime.”
The maximum penalty for harassing, harming, or killing a dolphin is a $100,000 fine and a year in prison.