Dolphin found dead in Murud; ships pose threat, say activists

NAVI MUMBAI: The carcass of a dolphin, about 5 feet long and weighing nearly 60 kg, was found on the Murud coast. A "nauseating" stench that hung loose in the air around Agardanda locality, where the carcass had washed up on Tuesday morning, said locals.
Activists expressed concern over the rising number of dolphin deaths. The number of dolphin deaths has been rising year after year, said environmental activist Sudhir Nazare. "The movement of large ships and the discharge of chemicals into the sea from industrial belts between Roha and Uran in Raigad district has threatened existence of of aquatic creatures," he said.
As the stench got unbearable, locals complained to the Murud municipal council. "The civic employees carted away the carcass around 6 pm on Tuesday and buried it at a dumping ground. No post mortem was done," he said.
Chief officer of Murud Municipal Council, Dayanand Gore, said that a report about the dolphin death and burial of the carcass has been sent to the forest department.
The state forest department had not received any information about the death of any dolphin, according to forest officer of Murud range, Prashant Patil. "Our staffers have been told to get details of the death," said Patil.
A few days ago, a dead tortoise, weighing around 42 kg, was found in Murud , said Patil. The carcass of the tortoise was buried after the mandatory procedure, including a post-mortem, he said.
Forest guard Sunil Wattamwar said locals alerted them to the tortoise that had washed ashore.