Authorities were mobilised following the discovery of a dead dolphin on a beach in Paphos, according to Yiannis Ioannou, an officer at the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, speaking to Politis.
As he explained, the Service had initially been alerted by a member of the public the previous day about a dolphin stranding.
Personnel were immediately dispatched to the area but did not locate the animal at the time. Later, authorities were informed that the dolphin had returned to the sea on its own.
Today, however, authorities received a new report of a stranding, this time involving a dead dolphin. Inspectors from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research visited the site in the morning, accompanied by staff from the Paphos Municipality.
During the on-site examination, samples were collected for DNA analysis, along with other measurements, in line with established protocols for incidents involving stranded marine mammals.
The samples will be sent abroad for further scientific analysis. The dead animal was taken by the Paphos Municipality for cremation, as required under protocols for handling deceased animals.
When asked about the dolphin’s condition, Ioannou said no external injuries were identified, although abrasions were present, likely caused by contact with rocks during the stranding.