Horrified residents have reported seeing scores of dead and dying dolphins wash ashore on a beach in Somalia.
Local officials confirmed the rare incident on Friday, with at least 100 dolphins found stranded on Thursday afternoon between Bossaso port and Mareero beach in Puntland’s northern region, AFP reports.
“The ministry of environment and the fisheries ministry are collaborating to urgently investigate this extraordinary incident,” said the Puntland government.
They promised to release a formal report on what may have caused this unprecedented event.
Puntland’s environment ministry could not confirm the exact number of stranded dolphins but mentioned that local residents estimated around 100.
The ministry also praised the efforts of the community, with 30 dolphins being rescued and returned to the water alive.
Abdullahi Muse, a witness, stated, “140 dolphins had come ashore and most of them are dead, even though some are still alive.”
He called it “a horrible incident,” adding, “We have never seen such an incident before.”
The environment ministry explained that dolphins are sometimes beached due to illegal fishing nets or water contamination.
Although such large-scale strandings are unprecedented in Somalia, distressed cetaceans have been washing ashore globally.
Scientists and conservationists have expressed concern, linking the deaths to harmful fishing practices.
