A 'rarely seen' striped dolphin has been found dead on a beach in Mossel Bay.
The spokesperson for the Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team, Tersia Marais, said the female adult dolphin was discovered on Diaz Beach on Wednesday night.
Marais says striped dolphins are normally found in warm waters and can live up to 60-years-old.
"The striped dolphin that stranded is a very, very special species. The reason is that it is more a deep-sea species," said Marais.
She said the striped dolphins gather in "huge pods of up to 500 and are not seen along the coastline. Our water is definitely too cold for them.
"Since 2006 this is only the third one in the southern Cape that has stranded," Marais added.
She said striped dolphins have a very complex social structure and communicate using a series of clicks and whistles.
Marais said the dolphin carcass will be transported to Bayworld in Port Elizabeth where an autopsy will be conducted.
(Image: Tersia Marais)
