A bottlenose dolphin died after getting caught in a fishing net.
What's happening?
New Zealand's 1News reported that, in early January, a juvenile dolphin was entangled in a fishing net close to Riverhead, a small town northwest of Auckland on the country's North Island.
Even though a team freed the dolphin from the net, less than a week later, it was found deceased. The Department of Conservation discovered that she had suffered an infected wound where the net entangled her, and she eventually died from blood poisoning.
After she died, the dolphin was given the name Te Ihu Wai Pounamu by a local Māori tribe, Ngāti Whātua.
"This is a tragic reminder to minimize floating slack lines when setting fishing gear and to dispose of waste and old gear responsibly to prevent marine debris," the DOC said in a statement.
Why is this important?
This is a cruel reminder of the dangers aquatic life face.
The World Wildlife Fund estimates that more than 300,000 dolphins, porpoises, and whales die each year after being entangled in fishing nets. Certain species, including New Zealand's Māui dolphins, are at risk of extinction because of this threat.
But it's not just the fishing industry that causes the unnecessary deaths of these animals. Environmental factors, namely heat-trapping pollution and the resulting warming climate, also play a major role.
Rising ocean temperatures, for example, can force larger marine mammals to come up for air more often. This makes them more susceptible to being hit by boats and other vessels.
Some researchers also believe the changing climate may be behind an increase in algae that contains domoic acid, which is toxic to many sea creatures. This algae has caused the deaths of up to 100 dolphins and 100 sea lions off the California coast.
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We should pay for all of it 👍 And in Wales, bottlenose dolphins were swamped by raw sewage that was intentionally released into a river.
How can I contribute to cleaner oceans?
One of the most effective ways to protect marine life is to make your voice heard. By contacting your elected officials, you can advocate for legislation and regulations that make life safer for dolphins — and cleaner for everyone who depends on our waters for food, income, and recreation.
But there are also choices you can make in your daily life. By reducing the amount of single-use plastics you use, you will create less pollution in the ocean. And when you go shopping, support companies that use the most eco-friendly, sustainable practices.
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