A group of beach-goers in Argentina brought the quest for the perfect picture for social media to new lows this past week. Members of the crowd at beach resort Santa Teresita reportedly pulled a baby La Plata dolphin from shallow beach water before parading it around to take “selfies” as it squirmed, according to Daily Mail.
Image: Hernan Coria
The crowd continued to pass the calf around until it’s believed it died of dehydration, causing them to abandon it on the beach shore.
Image: Hernan Coria
Also known as the Franciscana dolphin, it cannot survive out of the water for very long, which is why the Wildlife Foundation in Argentina encourages anyone who finds them on the shore to get them back to the water as soon as possible.
“It is fundamental that people help to rescue these animals, because every Franciscana counts now,” the WFA said in a statement.
With only around 30,000 of the vulnerable species left in the world, it’s important to preserve what’s left and not engage in senseless acts that harm them.
The below video shows the events after the calf has died and the crowd has lost interest:
