The carcasses of a juvenile long-beaked common dolphin and two adult Olive Ridley turtles were found washed ashore at Ekkayarkuppam near Marakkanam in the district on Tuesday. According to Forest department sources, a group of fishermen spotted the carcasses on the shore and alerted them around 9 a.m. The dolphin had no visible injury on its body.

The stranded mammal was 132 cm long and could have died a few days ago.

The carcasses of the Olive Ridley turtles, which are listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, were found within a few metres from where the dolphin was found between Ekkayarkuppam and Naravakkam coastal hamlets.

Post-mortem held

On information, a team from the Department of Fisheries in Villupuram examined the carcasses. The team conducted a post-mortem and buried the carcasses on the shore.

The Forest department officials suspect that the turtles might have been washed ashore after getting caught in trawlers or due to rough sea.