The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is offering a $20,000 reward for information that can help them find the person responsible for fatally shooting a dolphin at a beach near New Orleans, Louisiana.
According to NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement, the juvenile bottlenose dolphin was found dead on West Mae’s Beach in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, on March 13.
A member of the public found the dolphin with "multiple bullets lodged in the carcass," including in the brain, spinal cord and heart, officials said.
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The Audubon Aquarium Rescue recovered the animal and took it to New Orleans for a necropsy which concluded the dolphin died from the trauma that occurred "near or at the time of death."
According to NOAA, harassing, harming, killing, or feeding wild dolphins is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and violators could face up to a year in jail and up to $100,000 in fines per violation.
The agency has requested anyone with information about the incident to call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at 800-853-1964. While tips are anonymous, people will need to share their name and contact information to be eligible for the reward.
