Florida man sparks investigation after photo of him holding dolphin out of water went viral on August 19
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FLORIDA: A Florida man is facing a probe after he allegedly shared a photo online while carrying a dolphin in his arms outside of water.
The identity of the man, as well as when and where the questionable picture was taken, is not known, CBS News reported. But a Jacksonville Beach resident, Kevin Beaugrand, has claimed that he found the seemingly now-deleted photo online on a surfing account on August 19.
The questionable picture was reportedly first shared on Instagram. The man referring to the Florida man’s picture said, “I was immediately enraged.”
The surfer and bartender also reportedly added, “It's a crime against nature.”
Marine Biologist Dr Quinton White slams Florida man’s stunt
Jacksonville University Marine Science Professor Dr Quinton White told CBS News that taking a dolphin out of the water is inhumane.
He explained, “The dolphin was probably ill to be caught like that, and to put that kind of stress on an animal really is horrific.”
“It may not survive. You know, you didn't mean to do that, and we won't know probably for a while whether it made it or not. So, it was pretty horrific when I saw it,” the biologist shared.
Dr White also added, “A lot of animals, people don't realize it, they catch them and they 'Oh, I want to take pictures' and they put it back in the water and they die because they're not used to being out of the water.”
Kevin Beaugrand informed authorities about Florida man’s dolphin photo
As per reports, Beaugrand contacted different government agencies, like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to inform them about the Florida man photo.
An investigation has been initiated and if the Florida man is found guilty of breaching the Marine Mammal Protection Act, he will have to pay for “civil penalties up to about $34,000 or criminal fines and up to a year in prison,” News4JAX reported.
Besides, NOAA’s spokesperson has said, “Anyone with information should contact NOAA’s Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964.”
