A “rare” creature known to linger in deep waters has washed ashore in a popular Aussie tourist town, leaving puzzled locals scratching their heads.
A man was wandering along Sunrise Beach in Noosa just before 6am on Thursday morning when he spotted an elusive Risso’s dolphin stranded on the sand. The beachgoer, who regularly volunteers for Coolum & North Shore Coast Care, quickly reached out for help, sparking an all-hands-on-deck response.
Sadly, just 20 minutes after he contacted the nonprofit’s Vice President Dani Tippo, the dolphin died.
“It just so happened that one of our turtle volunteers was on the beach and came across the Risso’s dolphin and gave us a call straight away,” Dani told Yahoo News, adding the animal, which had no visible injuries, is not commonly seen due to the species’ preference for deeper waters around the continental shelf.
“We’ve had loads of people asking us [about it] and lots of people thinking that it was a whale… even the people who love the coast and have been on the water for 30 years had never, ever even heard of this dolphin,” Dani, who attended the scene to gather information for Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI), explained.
The Risso’s dolphin didn’t appear to have any visible injuries. A cause of death has not yet been determined. Source: Coolum & North Shore Coast Care
Dead Risso’s dolphin sent to university to be studied
While the dolphin’s death wasn’t the outcome rescuers had hoped for, Dani told Yahoo it presented a good opportunity for experts to learn more about the unique species known for its bulbous head, tall dorsal fin and distinctive scarring, which is caused by social interactions and encounters with their main food source — squid.
With the help of Noosa Council, the animal was transported to the University of the Sunshine Coast where it is currently being studied.
“They were able to necropsy the specimen and they’ll use that now for research,” Dani said. So far a cause of death hasn’t been revealed.
With a population of Risso’s dolphins living in the waters surrounding K’gari, Dani noted south east Queensland is an “especially significant” region for the species’ conservation and study.
The incident comes just months after another Risso’s dolphin was found stranded in Sydney’s Manly Beach — a long way from its typical habitat.
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