Dolphin Has to Be Put Down After Suffering Severe Sunburn

Animals need to be careful in the sun too. 

This poor dolphin died after he was found with a big blister on his back - thought to be caused by sun burn.

The 4ft dolphin was discovered stuck in reeds by a kayaker in the River Kennall in Cornwall.

The dolphin was treated by rescuers from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) but it was feared the blister would become infected causing a slow and painful death.

Despite their best efforts the dolphin had to be put down.

It is thought the dolphin was part of a pod that had beached at a nearby harbour and could not be persuaded to go back in to the sea.

David Jarvis, Director & Cornwall Area Co-ordinator for BDMLR, said: ‘The pathologist wondered if the blister might have been caused by sunburn.

‘A post mortem & tests are being carried out to further investigate the dolphin’s condition.

‘If you had a blister that covered approx 25% of your back & it opened up to reveal all of the flesh below, it would not only be very painful, but open to massive infection.

‘It was therefore not an option to put the dolphin back into the water as it would have had to endure a long painful death, somewhere out at sea.’

(Picture: SWNS)

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