PARADIP: A rare dolphin died while being rescued by local fishermen at Paradip fishing harbour on Sunday. It was approximately 4.5 feet in length and weighed around 20 to 25 kg. The dolphin was found injured in the storeroom of a stranded trawler at jetty number 4. Upon spotting the dolphin, the fishermen informed the Kujang forest department for assistance to safely rescue the mammal.
However, the personnel could not reach it on time and consequently, the local fishermen took it upon themselves to rescue it after the tidal wave receded. But by then the dolphin had died. It is suspected that it had sustained injuries, possibly from getting entangled in a fishing net or being hit by the trawler.
Later, after forest department officials reached the fishing jetty, the fishermen handed the dead dolphin over to them. It was sent to the veterinary department for postmortem. The exact cause of death can only be ascertained once the postmortem report is obtained, said a department official.