Tragic baby dolphin dies after being 'abandoned by mother' and found stranded
Heartbreaking pictures show the moment a baby dolphin was found stranded in the sea on a beach in Cornwall.
The tiny dolphin was found struggling in the surf near Holywell beach and carried to a shallow pool but died shortly afterwards.
It is thought the dolphin, which appeared to have been injured, had been rejected by its mother, leaving it vulnerable.
In December, two dolphins were found dead on Castle Beach in Cornwall after it is believed they became stranded.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s marine awareness officer Matt Slater, who was on the beach
when the baby dolphin was found at around 6pm on Monday, said: “It is incredibly rare to see a baby dolphin.
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“The baby was weak and had rake marks on its body from the teeth of other dolphins. It was beautiful and tiny – I can’t believe how small they are.”
British Divers Marine Life Rescue were called when the dolphin was spotted by lifeguards.
But rescuers said a dolphin so young was extremely vulnerable without its mother and was exhausted as well as badly injured.
The animal was found with rake marks from common dolphin teeth on its skin and is believed to have either been rejected or separated by aggressive non-family members.
Slater added: “I have spent my lifetime on and in the sea but have never seen anything
like this.”