Struggling dolphin dies in polluted New York City canal

[marmar]

NEW YORK—A distressed dolphin died Friday after wandering into a notoriously polluted New York City canal, according to a marine research group that was monitoring the animal.

The animal, a common dolphin, died in the shallow waters of Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal, said Valentina Sherlock, an employee at The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, whose biologists were keeping watch over the dolphin on behalf of police and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

A decision on what to do with the carcass would likely be made on Saturday, Sherlock said.

Earlier in the day, the animal appeared to be disoriented and seemed to be struggling to avoid getting stuck in the muddy floor of the shallow canal, said Mendy Garron, a marine mammals response coordinator from NOAA. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1320351--struggling-dolphin-dies-in-polluted-new-york-city-canal

[Honeycombe8]

1. They were "keeping watch"? WTF? Why didn't they save him? It breaks my heart. nt

[NYC_SKP]

2. No surprise there.

Many smaller canals in major urban areas are little more than industrial and septic waste corridors.

Those that don't take industrial and commercial and residential waste are, quite legally storm drain destinations and are also terribly polluted.

How very sad.