If you haven't heard the news already, a baby dolphin recently died after being taken out of the water to be part of a photo shoot. A tourist visiting Argentina at the Santa Teresita resort reportedly took two dolphins out of the water, leading to the formation of a large crowd interested in taking selfies.
After being out in the sun and out of the water for an extended period of time, one of the dolphins died of heat exhaustion. The crowd continued to pass around the dead body of the dolphin and take selfies with it before leaving it on the sand.
One beach goer, however, did not take selfies with the dolphin. Instead, Hernan Coria documented the tragedy taking place at the resort. He posted photos on Facebook which soon went viral and caught many people's attention. In response to this unfortunate occurrence, many wildlife foundations are taking a stand.
A spokeswoman for Australia's arm of World Animal Protection stated: "Wild animals are not toys or photo props. They should be appreciated — and left alone — in the wild where they belong."
The La Plata dolphin is endangered and one of the rarest species known to man. They tend to swim close to shore, allowing them to easily become caught in fishing nets, or in this case, pulled directly from the water by humans. The particularly fatty skin provides a layer of warmth that becomes deadly when the intense heat of the sun is added. Organizations like World Animal Protection and the Argentine Wildlife Foundation are attempting to inform the general public about issues like this so that fewer species are endangered.
