Baby dolphin dies after beachgoers pass it around for selfies

A baby dolphin which was taken out of the sea by some beachgoers died after people nearby on the beach started passing it around for clicking pictures with it.

The incident occurred at the Santa Teresita beach resort in Argentina where a huge crowd gathered around the dolphin after it was taken out of the sea by a man. According to reports, due to the heat and lack of water, the dolphin soon died.

The beachgoers kept on passing the animal around even after its death to pose for a selfie with it. After the commotion was over, the dead animal was left unattended in the sand.

The dolphin was later left on the beach  Image credit: Twitter

Reports state that the dolphin was of the La Plata variety and is usually found off the coasts of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. The particular species of dolphin has been termed "vulnerable" as there are only around 30,000 of them remaining in the world.

Soon after the incident, the Argentine Wildlife Foundation issued a statement saying, "The  Franciscana , like other species, cannot remain for much time outside of the water, it has thick fatty skin which gives it heat and means that taking it out of the water rapidly causes it to dehydrate and die.This occasion serves to inform the public about the urgent necessity to return these dolphins to the sea as soon as possible if they find them on the shore.It is fundamental that people help to rescue these animals, because every Franciscana counts now," Sky News reported.