MERR Investigates 4 Dolphin and 3 Sea Turtle Deaths

It’s been a busy week for MERR Institute volunteers. Suzanne Thurman, executive director, says her organization has investigated the deaths of four bottlenose dolphins and two loggerhead sea turtles last week.

This is one of the loggerheads which was discovered early Sunday in Dewey’s surf by Tony Crivella of Dewey Beach Beautification & Raking.

Thurman said this loggerhead appeared to be the victim of a propeller strike. Lifeguards later brought it to the sand dune and buried it after MERR finished its analysis.

The other loggerhead came to shore at Cape Henlopen. But no word yet on a cause of death.

A third dead sea turtle, this one a leatherback, came ashore in Broadkill late Sunday afternoon.

Photos courtesy Tony Crivella of Dewey Beach Beautification & Raking and Dewey Beach Patrol