A dolphin in a t-shirt may sound slightly funny to some, but in reality it’s no laughing matter.
Wildlife rangers in Australia were desperately searching for just such a dolphin after being notified by a someone who spotted the bottlenose dolphin swimming in Koombana Bay in the WA city of Bunbury.
Considering there’s basically no reasonable explanation for a dolphin accidentally ending up wearing a shirt, it’s obvious someone dressed it up as a prank.
“Dolphins are quite playful but it’s unusual for them to be able to swim through something like that and get it sort of stuck,” says Pia Courtis with the state’s Department of Parks and Wildlife.
“Thankfully for it, it’s on the other side of its blowhole and its pectoral fins are out so it can still swim.”
As fortunate as it is that the blowhole isn’t covered up, all the shirt has to do is slightly shift and the dolphin will suffocate and die.
Anyone who has seen the dolphin or knows anything about what happened are asked to get in contact with the Department of Parks and Wildlife. The individual who put the dolphin in the t-shirt will face up to a $4,000 fine if they’re caught.
