Dolphin washes up dead in Florida after eating two-foot long shower hose that was dumped in the ocean and found in its stomach
- The male seven-foot bottlenose stranded on Fort Myers Beach, Florida on May 7
- He was the second dolphin found dead with trash in its stomach in just a month
- Earlier a female dolphin calf was found on the same beach having ingested two plastic bags and a balloon fragment
A dolphin was found dead on a Florida beach after eating a two-foot long (24-inch) shower hose that had been dumped in the ocean.
The seven-foot male bottlenose is the second dolphin found dead with a stomach full of plastic waste on Fort Myers Beach in just a month.
He stranded on May 7 and was found to have a complete hose, including nozzle and metal radiator clamp.
The seven-foot male bottlenose was found washed up on Fort Myers Beach, Florida on May 7 (pictured) – the second dolphin found within a month on that beach having ingested human trash
The trash is believed to be part of a portable shower kit that allows travelers and campers to wash themselves.
Last month, a female rough-toothed dolphin calf washed up the same shoreline with two plastic bags and a balloon fragment in her stomach.
The trash was discovered during necropsy examinations on the carcasses by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
The institute urged people in a Facebook post to look closely at their trash disposal habits and participate in organised clean-ups.
A necropsy on the dolphin found it had a complete hose, including nozzle and metal radiator clamp inside its stomach which had been dumped into the ocean
‘Your actions can make a difference – secure and properly dispose of trash, take part in coastal cleanups and share information on how to reduce marine debris with others,’ the post reads.
It added that although the garbage is ‘a significant finding… there are many additional factors to consider before a final cause of stranding and death for the dolphin can be determined.
‘Samples collected during necropsy will be sent for analysis to help with this determination.’