Marine Mammal Mortality on Kerala Coast Highlights Human‑Induced Threats
On 4 July 2026, beach‑goers at Kozhikode, Kerala, discovered a dead Indian Ocean humpback dolphin and an Indo‑Pacific finless porpoise. Veterinary officials recovered the carcasses for necropsy. The dolphin, weighing about 200 kg, had an empty stomach but a 2 kg plastic fishing net lodged in its oesophagus, causing death. The porpoise, about 80 kg, likely suffocated after entanglement in a net.
Key Developments
- Necropsy revealed a plastic net twisted into a ball in the dolphin’s oesophagus, preventing feeding.
- Porpoise death attributed to suffocation, probably from net entanglement.
- Experts link the incidents to rising plastic pollution and ghost nets along India’s coastline.
- Data from the CMFRI show 171 strandings in 2024 and 161 in 2025, with Goa and Kerala recording the highest numbers.
Important Facts
Between 2024‑2025, strandings involved 14 species. The humpback dolphin accounted for 129 cases (47 in 2024, 82 in 2025). Goa contributed 101 of these, Kerala 13, and Maharashtra 7. The finless porpoise was the second most stranded species with 98 cases.
Both species inhabit waters less than 20 m deep, making them especially exposed to fishing activities, litter, and tourism. The