The body was found in addition to four dead sea turtles found on the city's beaches. • Resident: "When I saw the dolphin - I just cried."

• Dolphin body found on Ashkelon beaches this morning and taken for autopsy // Photo: Sea Watchers

Four dead sea turtles and a dolphin body were found, which was the tragic sight on Ashkelon Beach this morning (Wednesday).

"The sights I came across were very difficult for me," he told "Israel Today" Assi remarks from the "Sea Watchers" association that grew up there. "It hurt me a lot. I noticed the three bodies of the turtles. In addition, this morning the injured dolphin's body arrived. Occasionally there is drifting, but seeing some bodies in such a short span of time is something that does not happen," he said regretfully. During the day, the Sea Watchers Association reported that a fourth body of a sea turtle was found on the Guta beach in Ashkelon.

Speaking of the harsh sights, my words: "When I saw the dolphin found - I just cried. The body looked so weak and poor and painful to me. The dolphin was already dead and started to stink. It can be deduced from the circumstances of his death and he is now in a state of refrigeration until it is decided what kind of treatment or surgery to perform. "

Yotam, a doctoral student in the Predatory Laboratory at the University of Haifa's Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, told Israel Today that the dolphin's body is now in the Ashdod laboratory freezer. She was due for an autopsy in the coming days to explain the cause of death. "In my opinion, the dolphin probably died a few days before it was swept away. Because the decay is in its initial state, we will examine what can be deduced from the circumstances of death. We will open the stomach and see what it ate for example." It should be noted that eight bodies of dolphins are found on the coast of Israel each year.

In response to a post published by the association, one of the surfers wrote: "It hurts the heart and especially the levels. As soon as the ecology is undermined at such a level, it should concern every person, not just the nature lovers." Another skier wrote: "This is something new? For five years I have been running along the beach and every morning I see a turtle's body. Every morning! No one wants to hear about it. Something bad is happening to our sea. I fear the authorities know exactly what. Lots of money. Toxic to you too. "

In relation to various claims raised in response to the Sea Guard post, which seem to link the blast in a whale rig to the dolphin death,
Dr. Aviad Sheinin, chairman of the Marine Mammal Research, Information and Assistance Center, states that "there is no connection whatsoever. As is well known, the cause of death is, for the most part, the trapping of fishing gear. In this case, we have not yet performed an autopsy, but as a rule, There is some change in the extent of death "(as mentioned, about eight dolphins are found dead each year).

About 300 turtles are released each year. This is due to various contaminants such as marine and plastic waste. During the past year, there was a sharp increase in the number of sea turtles affected by debris. In practice, in 2019, the Turtle Rescue Center of the Nature and Parks Authority reached 45 turtles in this regard. This is a 10-fold increase over the past two decades.

Ashkelon municipality responded: "We are in contact with the Nature and Parks Authority for clarification of the case." The Nature and Parks Authority said that the carcasses of the turtles that had been documented were already rotten "and therefore appear to have died relatively long ago. The dolphin carcass has been transferred to Mimli for testing."