Early this morning, a turtle nest monitoring volunteer reported a dolphin calf in the shallows at Barkers. The DoE enforcement, marine and operations units responded immediately to help. The animal was identified as a false killer whale calf (Pseudorca crassidens) which despite its name is a species of dolphin. The DoE response team safely captured the young dolphin and released it away from the shore.
Unfortunately, the dolphin returned to the Barkers area some time later but displayed signs of laboured swimming and breathing. Sadly, the dolphin soon stopped breathing on its own and passed away. The DoE will keep the dolphin for a future necropsy to possibly determine the cause of death.
False killer whales are an oceanic species which is occasionally sighted in the waters surrounding the Cayman Islands. As with other cetaceans, a lone animal is an unusual occurrence and generally often a sign of illness. This incident reflects a broader challenge for Cayman. While incidents involving marine mammals in distress are rare, the absence of a dedicated marine mammal rehabilitation facility limits the care options available should an animal require rehabilitation or longer-term care.
The DoE Sighting Program collects information on whales, dolphins and other large marine animals around the Cayman Islands to help us better understand their abundance, distribution and use of Cayman’s waters. Sightings can be reported by email to DoE@gov.ky or through the Facebook group Sharks & Cetaceans: the Cayman Islands. Where possible, reports should include photographs, the location, date and time, the number of animals observed and any notable behaviour.