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5d ago

NOAA Offers $20,000 Reward in Dolphin Decapitation Investigation

The bottlenose dolphin was found mutilated on a remote North Carolina island, with officials seeking public assistance to solve the wildlife crime.

A stranded bottlenose dolphin was found in a tidal creek behind Lea-Hutaff Island on April 15. Someone later decapitated the marine mammal, an action that has led to a federal investigation.
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Overview

  • A bottlenose dolphin was intentionally decapitated on Lea-Hutaff Island, violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
  • The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction or penalty.
  • The dolphin was initially reported intact on April 15, 2025, but investigators believe it was decapitated between April 16 and 18.
  • A necropsy revealed the dolphin likely carried Brucella, a bacteria that poses potential health risks to humans through direct contact.
  • The remote location of Lea-Hutaff Island, accessible only by boat, complicates evidence collection and the ongoing investigation.