Police arrest tourist who snatched live dolphin from Guangdong beach
The dolphin was a young “false killer whale,” a Class II protected species in China
Chinese authorities have managed to track down a man who was filmed earlier this month walking on a beach in Guangdong province with a live dolphin slung across his shoulder.
A short video clip of the man’s walk went viral last week, angering Chinese netizens and leading local authorities to launch an investigation.
The incident occurred at the tourist hotspot of Hailing Island over the May Day holiday. According to witnesses, the dolphin had become stranded on the beach, looking like it was about to die, when the man picked it up and took it to his car.
Experts later identified the animal as a young “Pseudorca crassidens,” more commonly known as a “false killer whale,” a dolphin that is so-named because it shares many characteristics with killer whales. In China, the animal is a Class II protected species.
After police tracked down the suspect, he admitted to taking away the dolphin. Authorities say that an investigation is still ongoing and that the man will be dealt with according to the law.
Of course, China has something of a reputation for failing to actually protect its protected animals. In the past, Chinese fishermen who have caught whale sharks have typically managed to get off with less than a slap on the wrist.
Back in 2014, one Fujian fisherman caught a whale shark. Claiming to not know what it was, he brought the carcass back into town hoping for a big pay day. Unfortunately for him, the local government noticed and told him that it couldn’t be sold off for profit — so they auctioned off the meat at charity prices instead.
