Four dead dolphins and a dead mother turtle of the Olive Ridley species have washed up on Cox’s Bazar beach in three days.
Among them, an Irrawaddy and an Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin washed up on Inani and Sonarpara beaches on Friday (February 16) morning.
Earlier on Thursday (February 15) at Himachari and Wednesday (February 14) two more dead dolphins were found at Sugandha Point beach, said Tariqul Islam, Senior Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Ocean Research Institute. After identifying the species of dolphins, samples have been collected to investigate the cause of death, he said.
Tariqul Islam said that the name of the dead dolphin found at Inani Beach on Friday is Indo Pacific Humpback Dolphin. Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins have surfaced on Cox’s Bazar beach for the first time. Before this, dolphins of this species have not been seen dead or alive on Cox’s Bazar beach. It is eight feet 10 inches tall and weighs around 240 kg. And the dead dolphin found at Sonarpara beach is called Irrawaddy dolphin which is four feet seven inches long and weighs about 90 kg.
He further informed that the skeleton of the humpback will be preserved in Bori for use in future education and research activities. However, two dolphins were sampled. After one to one-and-a-half years, two skeletons will be exhumed and stored in sacks.
He added that the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is a unique marine mammal. These dolphins are found in coastal waters from the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific Ocean. They are seen in small groups or pairs. This dolphin lives up to 40 years. These dolphins can die due to water pollution, habitat loss, coastal development, overfishing in the ocean and collisions with marine vehicles.
Sameer Ranjan Saha, Range Officer of Cox’s Bazar Range of South Forest Division, said, after receiving news of three more dead dolphins floating after Sugandha Point, samples were collected with marine research officers. The dead dolphins are then buried in the ground.
Those concerned said that it is important to investigate the fact that the dead bodies of two species of dolphins, porpoises and sea turtles have been floating in the space of a few days. They also think that there is a need to investigate why or how sea creatures are dying.
Director General of Bangladesh Ocean Research Institute (BORI) Professor Dr. Touhida Rasheed told Jago News that samples have been collected to find out the cause of death of the animals. Bori scientists are working on this.
In 2023, four Irrawaddy dolphins, in 2024 an Indo-Pacific finless porpoise, four Irrawaddy dolphins and an Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin washed ashore in Cox’s Bazar dead. Besides, from January to Friday this year, at least 20 dead sea turtles have been found in Cox’s Bazar city, Ramu, Ukhia, Teknaf, Saint Martin and Sonadia beaches.
