Mumbai: Juvenile dolphin and finless porpoise carcass found ashore at Bandra Bandstand

Two carcasses- one of a juvenile dolphin and a finless porpoise was found ashore at Bandra bandstand on Saturday morning. The officials sent out both for post-mortem before burying them.

In last 10 days a total of two turtles, two finless porpoises including the one found on Saturday along with a dolphin have been washed ashore. Before this on August 5 and August 7 two turtles both with two flippers missing were rescued from Ghodbunder and Juhu respectively.

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Mangrove Cell Prashant Deshmukh said that he received a call from BMC's disaster management cell at around 7am informing about the washed ashore mammals.

"The Dolphin looked very young and its carcass was fresh and hence we wanted to check the cause of its death and hence we sent it along with the Porpoise for post mortem at Bombay Vetereniray College and the reports would be provided in next two to three days," said Deshmukh adding that its the wind and rough sea condition that brings the floating carcasses to the shore.

Before this two Dolphin carcasses were found at Bandra bandstand and Chimbai on consecutive days in July.

Even as activists and animals lovers have been raising concerns about the high number of beachings of marine mammals, marine experts said that while there can be many reasons incuding natural death but it also needs to be understood that due to more awareness every beaching are being reported.

"Its difficult to point out a specific reason without a detailed post -mortem but some of the most common factors that affect the marine mammals are pollution due to waste and sewage being released in sea, injuries after being either stuck in nets or being hit by ships, oil spills and others,' said a marine biologist adding that they can only hope that some clue is provided through the post mortem of the young juvenile Dolphin.

EXTENT OF THREAT

• In the last 10 days, a total of 2 turtles, 2 finless porpoises including the 1 found on Sat along with a dolphin have been washed ashore 
   
• On Aug 5 & 7, 2 turtles both with  missing flippers were rescued from Ghodbunder and Juhu