Baby dolphin found dead after Florida men take controversial Instagram photo

Amelia Island, Florida - A baby dolphin has been found dead in Florida, and investigators believe they know who is responsible thanks to a controversial Instagram post.

Two men in Florida are under fire after snapping an Instagram photo with a dolphin calf who is now believed to be dead.
Two men in Florida are under fire after snapping an Instagram photo with a dolphin calf who is now believed to be dead.  © Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/straightbraidkane & IMAGO / YAY Images

A since-deleted photo posted on Instagram by @straightbraidkane depicting a dolphin being hoisted from the water has ignited public outrage and prompted investigations by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The image, taken under the Nassau Sound Bridge, shows an animal similar to a deceased dolphin calf discovered in the same area near Jacksonville on Wednesday, according to a local outlet, News4JAX.

While it's hard for officials to determine the dolphin's state from the photo, experts suggest rapid decomposition from being held out of the water if dead.

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However, Dr. Quincy Gibson, an associate professor of coastal and marine biology at the University of North Florida, suggested that it could very well be the same calf after examining the dorsal fin, as each one is greatly unique.

"The shape matches the one in the photo where the dolphins [are] being held...so highly likely," Dr. Quincy Gibson said.

Baby dolphin found dead in Florida after post seen by two men holding a calf

Gibson continued: "I think it's highly likely that it died after [the photo was taken], but there is a very small chance that it was deceased recently when they picked it up in the water."

"But based off of the reports that I've heard, and the photo and the way that the people are behaving in the photo, it makes it seem like they did catch it... and it was potentially alive at that point."

The original poster has since apologized for the upload, saying it "was an accident."

Although harassing wild dolphins is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, even if they are already dead, the two unnamed men aren't currently facing any charges, per TMZ. The investigation is ongoing.

Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/straightbraidkane & IMAGO / YAY Images

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