Another incident involving the intentional killing of a dolphin was located by the Archipelagos Institute on the NW coast of Samos.

In this particular area, where significant populations of 4 dolphin species live and where strong sea currents are active, it is not uncommon to find dead marine mammals ashore- incidents which we do not usually make public. However, in this particular incident, the striped dolphin in question had had its tail amputated by means of a sharp object. This brutal killing of a healthy dolphin that has been left to die slowly and painfully, bleeding to death on the surface of the sea as it struggles to breathe, can no longer be tolerated.

It should be mentioned that, in the same area last year at the end of spring, we located four other dead striped dolphins which had been killed in a similar manner. Both in the previous weeks and during the same period when the striped dolphins were killed in 2023, there was activity in the international waters of the area by large purse seine fishing vessels, fishing with circular nets and not flying the Greek flag.

Given our concern about this incident of deliberate killing, as well as others that may be caused in the future, the Archipelagos Institute’s vessel remains in the open sea in the area recording any fishing activity that could be related to these incidents.