A Port River dolphin known as Spunky has washed up dead at Outer Harbor in Adelaide, Australia.
Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary officers collected the body from the Section Bank area about 11am this morning (Wednesday, June 1).
ADS manager Verity Gibbs said there were no obvious signs of injury and an autopsy would be done by the SA Museum and Dolphin Trauma Group.
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society founder Dr Mike Bossley said he had monitored Spunky since he started his research 25 years ago, which put the dolphin in its 30s.
Dr Bossley said male dolphins usually had one or two close “friends”.
In Spunky’s case it was a dolphin known as Buddy, who died about 10 years ago.
“Life became a bit unstuck when he lost his best mate,” he said.
“Ever since that he has been less predictable about where you saw him.
“He was a bit smaller than your average adult male but he seemed to hold his own with them.”
Source: Portside Messenger