Due to recent press reports linking the common dolphin found on Hove beach to shark attack, we wish to be clear there is no evidence to support this. No injuries consistent with shark attack & the head of the dolphin, which was reported to be missing, was intact, but decomposed. pic.twitter.com/Xq4lkc1yyD
— Sussex Dolphin Project (@BDP_WCA) March 1, 2022
The body of a dolphin which sadly washed up on Hove beach was not eaten by a Great White shark, experts have said.
The male common dolphin was found on the beach by Hove Lawns yesterday morning with an “unusual” injury to its head.
Last month, a picture of what was claimed to be the fin of a Great White was quickly debunked by Littlehampton Harbour which said it was actually the Ferring Outflow pipe partially submerged at high tide.
However, this did not stop speculation that the dolphin had been eaten by the fictitious shark.
The Sussex Dolphin Project said yesterday it could not say what the dolphin’s cause of death was.
But today, it clarified that it was definitely not caused by a Great White.
Thea Taylor, Sussex Dolphin Project lead, said yesterday: “This is male Common Dolphin, which is usually a summer visitor to the Sussex stretch of the Eastern English Channel and not generally recorded here at this time of year.
“This individual has been dead for some time and has an unusual injury to the head but it is difficult to tell if this injury is directly linked to death or occurred post-mortem due to the state of decomposition.
“Please report any strandings of this nature to Sussex Dolphin Project and UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme.”
Today, the project tweeted: “Due to recent press reports linking the common dolphin found on Hove beach to shark attack, we wish to be clear there is no evidence to support this.
“No injuries consistent with shark attack & the head of the dolphin, which was reported to be missing, was intact, but decomposed.”
Previous alleged sightings of Great White sharks in British waters have all been debunked.
