Tourists Blamed for Baby Dolphin's Death

A group of tourists is once again being blamed for the death of a baby dolphin.

The latest incident occurred in Mojacar, Spain on Friday, when the animal was found stranded on the beach, prompting crowds of people to flock to it.

According to Spanish animal charity Equinac, photographs from the scene show beachgoers touching and photographing the baby dolphin. 

Equinac did not say the visitors were responsible for the dolphin becoming stranded but noted that their subsequent actions likely caused the situation to escalate. Photographs obtained by the group show children covering the animal's blowhole.

"The crowding over them to take pictures and touch them causes them a very strong shock that greatly accelerates a cardiorespiratory failure, which was what finally happened," Equinac wrote in a Facebook post.

The nonprofit organization warns that dolphins are "very susceptible to stress and die very fast if subjected to it."

"If you dedicate yourself to taking photos and manipulating them, the animals will enter into a state of shock," Equinac added, encouraging people to be sensible and empathetic while exercising common sense.

The group also warns that manipulating dolphins and other species is prohibited by law as they are highly protected. Doing so could result in criminal charges.

Earlier this year, tourists in San Bernardo, Argentina were criticized for failing to return a baby dolphin to the water after it swam ashore.

"They let him die," a witness told C5N News in January. "They could have returned him to the ocean. He was breathing, but everyone started taking photos and touching him, saying he was already dead."

READ MORE: Will Hawaii Ban Swimming With Dolphins?

The string of recent incidents should serve as a wake-up call to beachgoers, who are better off leaving rescue efforts to professionals.

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