Phuket —
At 7:00 AM on September 22nd, 2024, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources was alerted by local networks about an unidentified dolphin being stranded amid a pile of debris at Kata Noi Beach in Mueang, Phuket.
Karon police and rescue teams from Laem Sai Municipality arrived at the scene to assist in transporting the dolphin’s carcass for an autopsy.
The dolphin was later identified as a Risso’s dolphin (gray dolphin), weighing over 100 kilograms, with a fully grown body length of about 4 meters. It had several scrapes, likely caused by being tossed into rocks and driftwood by strong waves.
Local authorities are further investigating the exact cause of death.
Risso’s dolphins typically grow to 3-4 meters in length and weigh up to 500 kilograms. Newborns are about 1.1-1.5 meters long. Known for their blunt heads and distinctive scars, they are often found either alone or in pods of up to 100, and occasionally alongside bottlenose dolphins.
