Washed up dolphin in Cornwall tagged as disease risk

The dolphin, which is believed to be a striped dolphin, washed up on Fistral Beach in Newquay earlier this morning (Monday, December 11) and members of the public are being warned not to touch its body due to the risk of disease. 

Images taken by Dave Pearce, who was at scene, show the remains of the marine mammal and the tag which had been placed on it by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. 

Cornwall Wildlife Trust (Image: Dave Pearce)

Ruth Williams, Marine Conservation Manager said: "If there is a tag on a stranded animal then it means it has already been reported to us and recorded by a trained volunteer.

"We tag the animals so we don’t double count them if they wash out and then back in again.

"It is the landowners responsibility to dispose of any stranded animals as they deem appropriate and in many cases this means animals may be left on the beach and wash out on the next high tide.

"We would urge people to report any strandings to our hotline on 0345 2012626.

"We are getting a lot of animals strand on Cornish beaches which is sadly usual for this time of year."

The public has been warned not to touch the body (Image: Dave Pearce)

Having posted the images on social media, people were quick to express their sadness over the situation, with Karen Key saying: "Not again. That is so, so sad. 

Ian Ingleton added: "So sad. It’s not often we see these while on holiday and it’s a buzz when we do. Poor little thing."

Emma Jane Holland, a marine strandings volunteer at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: "It’s been tagged which means the Wildlife Trust have been out and recorded it. Taken pictures and measurements etc. the beach owners will remove it. Cornwall council. Unless it’s collected for post mortem. That’s not always possible. Depends on lots of factors. But it’s tagged so it’s been added to the data."

The Packet has contacted Cornwall Council for comment.