Wildlife officials are offering up to $20,000 for information related to a bottlenose dolphin that was found shot dead on the coast of Cameron Parish.Â
The dolphin was found on Mae's Beach and reported to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on March 13. Officials said bullets were found lodged in the dolphin's brain, spinal cord and heart.Â
Harming or killing wild dolphins is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to NOAA. Violations can be prosecuted civilly or criminally and are punishable by up to $100,000 in fines and up to a year in jail.Â
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the killing. Anyone with information that leads to a criminal conviction or a civil penalty could get the reward, NOAA said in a news release.
Call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964 to share information related to this incident. You can leave tips anonymously, but to be eligible for the reward, you must include your name and contact information.
