Decapitated dolphin in North Carolina prompts $25,000 reward offer from US
NORTH CAROLINA - Federal authorities want to know who decapitated a dolphin that had been stranded on an island off the coast of North Carolina in April, and they are offering a reward of up to US$20,000 (S$25,000) for information that could help them find out.
The 8-foot-long bottlenose dolphin was found dead on Lea-Hutaff Island, North Carolina, on April 15, according to a statement from the Office of Law Enforcement of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The reward notice included a photo of the dolphin, which was missing its head, as it lay on the shore of the remote, undeveloped barrier island, which is north of Wilmington, North Carolina, and only accessible by boat, the agency said.
Officials from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, which partners with NOAA to respond to dolphin strandings in the region, said that they determined that someone intentionally removed the dolphin's head after it had been stranded on the island.
The agency noted that the dolphin was carrying Brucella, a bacteria that causes the infectious disease brucellosis, which can be transferred to humans through direct contact. Symptoms of the disease include headaches, fever, sweating and generally feeling badly or malaise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Officials performed a necropsy, an animal autopsy, and the results and cause of death were pending.
Dolphins are not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, but they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which bans harassing, hunting, killing or feeding wild dolphins. Violations can lead to fines up to US$100,000 and up to one year in jail.
Officials said that anyone with information about the Lea-Hutaff Island's dolphin should call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964. People can leave tips anonymously, but to be eligible for the reward, they must include their name and contact information.
The agency has previously offered rewards to the public for information about dolphins that appeared to have been killed. In 2024, it offered up to a US$20,000 reward in exchange for information to find the person who they believe fatally shot a juvenile dolphin at a beach in Louisiana.
And in 2020, federal authorities offered a reward after two dead dolphins were found with gunshot or stab wounds in Florida. NYTIMES
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Forum: SFA adopts a science-based approach in regulating food colourings
We refer to the letter by Ang Chiew Leng, 'Look into reviewing food dyes used in Singapore' (ST, May 20). Synthetic colouring compounds allowed for use in food in Singapore must first be assessed by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to be safe for consumption. SFA adopts a science-based risk management approach that is consistent with international standards to ensure food safety. When assessing the safety of synthetic food colourings, SFA takes reference from the assessments by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Where JECFA assessments are not available, SFA will take into consideration relevant published scientific information such as toxicity studies as well as evaluations conducted by major developed countries. SFA reviews our food safety standards from time to time, closely monitors for new scientific evidence and engages other regulators on the impact of synthetic food colourings on human health. More information on the safety of food additives and food colourings can be found on SFA's website. Joanne Chan Sheot Harn (Associate Professor) Centre Director National Centre for Food Science Singapore Food Agency More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Forum: Ensure parity in subsidies for Healthier SG patients
I signed up for Healthier SG with my general practitioner (GP) in late 2023 and have since been receiving treatment for my diabetes there. I am 66 years old and part of the Merdeka Generation. Healthier SG patients were supposed to enjoy the same subsidised rates as polyclinic patients. But this wasn't the experience I had. For instance, I currently pay 40 cents per pill for metformin at my GP – significantly more than what I would pay at a polyclinic. Recently, my GP referred me to the Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic for an X-ray for a frozen shoulder. To my surprise, I was charged $50 and told that Chas and Merdeka Generation subsidies did not apply because the referral came from a private clinic. When I explained that my GP is in the Healthier SG panel, the staff were unable to offer a clear explanation. I have since written to the Ministry of Health for clarification but am still awaiting a response. The purpose of Healthier SG is to give patients more personalised care through their regular GPs while also easing the load on polyclinics. But if patients continue to face higher costs and inconsistent subsidies, it defeats the point of the scheme. As someone who is semi-retired and needs to manage my expenses carefully, I am seriously considering returning to polyclinic care instead. Subramani Hariharan More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Novo's Ozempic linked to rare cases of serious eye disorder, EU regulator says
Studies in type-2 diabetes patients have linked Ozempic to the condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. PHOTO: REUTERS Novo's Ozempic linked to rare cases of serious eye disorder, EU regulator says Novo Nordisk's popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic may in very rare cases cause a serious eye condition that can lead to vision loss, the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) safety committee said on June 6 . In the past, studies in type-2 diabetes patients have linked Ozempic to the condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Naion). This is the first time a regulator has confirmed the side effect. The condition may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic as well as in Novo's other diabetes drug Rybelsus, for at least one year, the regulator said. Naion is the second-most common cause of blindness due to optic nerve damage, after glaucoma. 'This has been reported as a potential risk for some time, so I think the clinical community is relatively aware of it. I don't see this as making any major difference to prescribing patterns,' said Barclays analyst Emily Field. US-listed shares of the Danish drugmaker were up nearly 2.5 per cent in early trading. The EMA, which started its review in December, has asked Novo to add Naion as a side effect of very rare frequency in the product information accompanying drugs that contain semaglutide. Novo said it would work with the EMA to update the labels, adding clinical trials and after-market studies did not suggest a reasonable possibility that the drugs caused the condition. The 'benefit-risk profile of semaglutide remains favourable', the company said in a statement. Novo has recently faced investor concerns that it is losing its first-mover advantage in the highly competitive obesity treatment market, leading the company to oust chief executive Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen in May. Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound currently dominate the weight-loss drug market, potentially worth about US$150 billion (S$193 billion) by the next decade. The EMA said several large studies in type-2 diabetes patients have suggested that use of Novo's drugs could raise the risk of developing Naion by twofold. A study of nearly 350,000 diabetes patients published in March showed that the risk of developing Naion more than doubled after two years of treatment with Ozempic, compared with patients taking medicines from other classes. The US Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on whether the Food and Drug Administration was conducting a probe into the side effect. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
