Two dolphins have reportedly been found dead on the riverbank in London’s River Thames after a dolphin was spotted in the river last week.
The dolphin had been spotted multiple times since late Thursday morning and was described as appearing to be “struggling against the current.”
But on Monday, a dolphin was photographed dead on the riverbank near the Chelsea Harbour Pier.
Another dolphin was found on the riverbank in Greenwich, but it is not known when it died, according to BBC News.
A spokesman for the Port of London Authority told PA Media: “We are sadly aware of reports that two dolphins have died. We are working with our Cetacean Stranding Survey Programme to recover the animals.”
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), which was tracking the dolphin on Thursday, was approached for comment.
“They were in the area into the evening but there wasn’t any significant change in their behaviour so we didn’t continue monitoring too late,” BDMLR operations manager Julia Cable said on Friday.
“It’s just too far up the river for the dolphins to swim.
“It wasn’t actually moving very far, but it looked like it was struggling against the tide.”
Mary Tester, Thames region coordinator for the BDMLR, told BBC London there were “a variety of theories” as to why dolphins were “coming downriver”.
One explanation, she said, is that the water quality of the River Thames has improved in recent years, allowing the dolphins to eat more fish.
Any members of the public who see dolphins swimming in the River Thames or inland waterways are urged to report them to the BDMLR and to avoid chasing them in boats or canoes.
