During the last month, the sea has thrown the bodies of several porpoises
On the beach of Mechelinki, north of Gdynia, we found the body of a young porpoise with a cut abdominal shell. Biologists have notified the case to the police. This is another similar case in a month.
By finding a young porpoise on the beach, Hel Marine Station announced Saturday on one of the social networks. On the body of the animal, traces indicate that a man could contribute to his death.
"The police were informed of the possibility of committing a crime." After inspection and protocol, the body of the animal was transported to the Hel Marine Station. – it was written in the news
Biologists have pointed out that this is not the first dead animal of this species found on the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea. They added that "the specimens found on the shore are for the most part accidental victims, that is to say caught accidentally in fishing nets". At the end of June, we described a similar case – the porpoise had a sectioned caudal fin, and the abdomen and back were cut with a sharp tool
"Heads crushed with a blunt tool"
"We do not can accuse any fisherman of death. The cooperation with fishermen in this area is once better, sometimes worse, we had crews who reported porpoises found in nets and gave us a body. In the recent past, there was even a case of obstruction in the net.
In late May and June, five dead gray seals were found on the beaches of Pomerania, whose bodies bore distinctive signs that the animals had been killed by humans. The case was taken over by Gdynia police under the supervision of the district attorney's office in Gdynia. All cases of discovery of dead seals were included in an investigation (previously, several police units and prosecutors were involved)
The proceedings in this case are conducted in light of the art. 35 of the Animal Welfare Act, which states that "whoever kills, kills an animal … is liable to a term of imprisonment of up to three years".
The autopsy of three dead seals (all bodies were not in a state allowing testing) showed that these individuals were crushed by a dull tool (for example a club). Two seals were eviscerated and loaded with bricks, which probably sank their bodies
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Since then, a dozen seals have been found on the coast . that a man was involved either in the death of even an animal, or tried to hide the fact of his death – like cut abdominal shells. However, they were not included in the Gdynia Prosecutor's Office investigation. The Świat Świattom Foundation allocated PLN 30,000 for the price of the indication of the people who contributed to the death of the seals. 20 thousand Writer Maria Nurowska also announced the award.
Seals belong to endangered species. The most recent data indicate that about 30 000 gray seals live in the Baltic Sea. It's more than in the 1980s when their population was estimated at 8,000 inhabitants. However, in recent years, the gray seal population has stopped growing. Ecologists study the reasons for the increase in the number of animals (19659006) .The population of porpoises in the Baltic Sea is estimated at about 450 individuals. In 2008, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) gave this species a category "critically endangered". In the inter-war period, there were so many porpoises that the Polish authorities introduced special bonuses to capture or kill them. These animals have been treated as parasites that destroy nets and fish stocks. Porpoises are strictly protected in Poland since 1984: they are prohibited from deliberately frightening or killing, transporting live animals, destroying their habitats or their refuges.
Many treatments to increase the population of seals and porpoises in Poland part of the Institute of Oceanography of the University of Gdansk – Marine Station prof. Krzysztof Skóra. It cooperates with WWF Polska, which manages, among others, WWF Blue Patrol Action. In this context, a team of volunteers living along the coast monitors the beaches to help, if necessary, found animals there.
What if you encounter a porpoise or a seal?
WWF members urge you to call Blue Patrol (795 536 009) on the beach for a live or dead animal or at the Hel Marine Station (601 889 940)
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