Dolphin Dies in Polluted Canal After Becoming Trapped in New York (PHOTO, VIDEO)
A dolphin has died in a polluted canal in Brooklyn, New York City, marine experts have confirmed Friday after becoming trapped.
The dolphin appeared to have lost its way and meandered down into the canal, amazing locals who saw the dolphin splashing around in the waters.
However, the dolphin reached part of the canal that was so polluted that onlookers reported seeing it splashing up filthy water and black gunk from its snout.
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The incident took place in the Gowanus Canal, which runs for about 1.5 miles through a narrow industrial zone in Brooklyn.
Marine experts were helpless to come to the aid of the dolphin, and they had previously expressed hope that the dolphin could hold on until high tide - about 7.10 p.m. ET - which would help the dolphin escape the canal safely.
However, the dolphin was unable to survive that long, and shortly before that time it was confirmed as dead, according to the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation.
The dolphin has been recovered from the canal, and experts have said they hope to perform a necropsy in the coming days to determine exactly why the dolphin died. However, already a senior biologist, Robert DiGiovanni, has said he suspects the dolphin may already have been ill prior to entering the canal.
According to the New York Police Department, marine experts had said they were preparing to help the dolphin if it had failed to escape the canal by Saturday morning via Friday night's high tide.
Experts had suggested they did not want to rush in to rescue the dolphin on Friday as they thought it would be able to escape itself, and they did not want to put the dolphin under undue stress that comes with being captured.
DiGiovanni had said, "We erred on the side of saying, 'OK, if this is an animal that were just lost or disoriented, this would be the least invasive course of action, to give it the most chance of success,'" according to Fox News.
Here is a video report of the dolphin incident:
