Baby Dolphin Found Dead After It Was Allegedly Used For Instagram Photo Op
Baby Dolphin Found Dead After It Was Used for Instagram Photo-Op
A baby dolphin has been found dead in Florida ... and investigators believe it's the same one used in an Instagram photo-op by two guys just days before.
The deceased bottlenose dolphin was found near Jacksonville Wednesday, according to local outlet News4JAX -- officials believe it's the same one seen in a photo posted on Instagram. Officials can't yet tell if the animal was already dead at the time of the pic.
The controversial snap, reportedly posted by a 19-year-old man, caused uproar online ... with the teenager claiming he's gotten death threats over the post. He's since apologized for his upload, reportedly saying he didn't catch the dolphin but merely found it.
As for a connection to the now-dead dolphin, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the deceased dolphin's dorsal fin -- which they say is unique to each dolphin -- matched the one in the photo.
FYI, harassing wild dolphins is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act ... and now, investigators are looking into the alleged incident, namely the bottlenose's cause of death. As of now, the unnamed men aren't facing any charges.
