Dolphin carcass found washed up along Permatang Damar beach

GEORGE TOWN: A carcass of a dolphin was found washed ashore along the beach near Permatang Damar Laut near here.

State Fisheries Department director Noraisyah Abu Bakar said the dolphin, measuring 1.2m and 70kg, had probably been dead for two weeks.

"We buried the carcass as per our standard operating procedure for endangered species.

"A fisherman discovered the carcass on Sunday (July 14), and we believe the dolphin is from the Finless Porpoise species.

"There was no sign of injury, so it probably died of old age, as it could be at least 30 years old," she said.

Noraisyah urged the public to inform the department if they came across any mammals that are dead or alive.

"There were five cases of mammals found on the beach here in 2016 and seven in 2017, including dolphins and turtles," she said.