Dead Dolphin Found On Long Branch Beach, Something Wrapped Around Tail

LONG BRANCH, NJ — A fisherman found a dead bottlenose dolphin washed up on the beach in Long Branch early Sunday morning, NJ.com reported.

The fisherman is Paul Marzolla, a Long Branch resident and avid saltwater fisherman. He posted this video of the dolphin on his Instagram page, and told NJ.com he stumbled across it on the beach while out fishing at 5 a.m. Sunday.

At first, Marzolla wrote on his Instagram account that the dead dolphin appeared to have a piece of industrial-grade plastic wrapped around its tail, cutting into its skin. However, Marzolla later said he spoke with volunteers from New Jersey's Marine Mammal Stranding Center, who are hired by the state to remove dolphins, seals and whales when they wash up. He wrote: "It was not plastic. They’re still looking into it, but it was either intestines or a massive tapeworm that was wrapped around the tail into the anus."

He posted earlier:

"As fishermen, we see a lot of cool things in nature. This was not one of them. Found a dead dolphin washed up in the surf this morning. Tail was wrapped up in what looked like heavy duty plastic. Rough way to start the day. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center has been notified."

Volunteers with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center removed the dead dolphin from the beach Sunday, and an autopsy will be done to determine what exactly caused its death.