Authorities looking for leads in cruel act.
Australian authorities are desperately seeking information on a dolphin that was seen, apparently having been dressed in clothing. They believe it was no accident.
The Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife posted photos to their Facebook page earlier this week showing the dolphin in Koombana Bay, Bunbury. A member of the public reported the strange sighting to the Dolphin Discovery Centre.
In the photos, it appears the dolphin has a T-shirt or singlet wrapped tightly around its body. Unfortunately, there have been no sightings since these were taken.
"Dolphins are quite playful but it's unusual for them to be able to swim through something like that and get it sort of stuck," Pia Courtis of Parks and Wildlife told ABC News.
She additionally told the station that the act could result in penalties of up to $4,000 for the person responsible. Authorities are very concerned with finding the dolphin, because the animal's breathing could be hampered if the shirt were to cover its blow hole.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Parks and Wildlife at 9725 4300 or the wildcare help line at 9474 9055.
This has not been a good week to be a dolphin. News came out of Argentina earlier this week of tourists killing a baby dolphin after pulling it onto a beach for selfies. Let's hope this story has a much better outcome.
NEXT: YET ANOTHER BABY DOLPHIN DIES IN ARGENTINA BY CROWD LOOKING FOR SELFIES
