Dolphin dies during Navy sonar exercises

[unhappycamper]

Dolphin dies during Navy sonar exercises
The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 22, 2008 17:26:19 EST

LOS ANGELES — A dolphin died on a beach during Navy sonar training exercises, but it was not immediately clear what caused its death, authorities said.

The female northern right whale dolphin died at the end of January on San Nicolas Island, a Navy-owned island off the Southern California coast.

At the time, the Navy’s 3rd Fleet was conducting training that included sonar use. Environmental groups have sued to limit naval sonar use that they fear can harm marine mammals.

However, “there is no evidence that any type of naval activities caused or contributed to this dolphin’s death,” said Lt. Mark Walton, a spokesman for the 3rd Fleet.

A necropsy performed on the dolphin at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History found increased fluid in the dolphin’s ears but did not pin down the cause of its death.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_dolphinsonar_080222/