Mozambique: Experts seek causes for mass dolphin deaths

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Mozambique: Experts seek causes for mass dolphin deaths

3:02 CAT | 25 Feb 2021

Photo: Bazaruto Archipelago National Park

A multi-sector team of experts will join others working on the ground in the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (PNAB), Mozambique’s largest marine conservation area, to identify the reasons for the death of 111 dolphins between Sunday and Tuesday.

The dolphins, from the “Stenella longirostris” (spinner dolphin) species, were first spotted on Sunday by residents at the beaches on the northern side of Bazaruto, in the southern Mozambican province of Inhambane, who promptly tipped off conservation authorities. Once on the scene, they only managed to save seven that were returned to the waters, as 25 were already dead. The bodies of a further 86 dolphins were found later in the weekend

Preliminary investigation conducted on Tuesday to identify the root cause of the deaths concluded that the dolphins had sustained no injuries. Further analyses of their bowels to find out whether they may have consumed any harmful substance have not led to any suspicion.

The National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), through the PNAB, will send samples for additional laboratory analyses, according to a press release issued on Tuesday by the Ministry of Land and Environment.

The joint team of experts, including two experts on marine mammals from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), will join the others already in Bazaruto.

The waters of Bazaruto are usually calm, but the tropical cyclone Guambe which struck Inhambane province last week caused rough seas, and the experts do not rule out that this may have had an impact on the dolphins’ health.

Source: AIM