A dead Irrawaddy dolphin was found washed ashore on Kuakata beach in Patuakhali on Sunday afternoon. Local residents discovered the roughly eight-foot-long dolphin near the national park area during high tide. Forest Department officials, assisted by the local administration, later recovered and buried the carcass. Preliminary observations suggest the dolphin may have died after being struck by a vessel or entangled in fishing nets or other fishing gear. The body showed signs of decomposition, indicating it had been dead for several days.

Environmental and research workers expressed concern over recurring dolphin deaths along the Kuakata coast. KM Bachchu, a local environmental activist, said that although such incidents have decreased, dead dolphins still occasionally wash ashore, underscoring the need for coordinated research by government and scientific institutions. WCS and WorldFish researcher Md Bakhtiar Rahman confirmed the species as Irrawaddy and noted visible injuries. Conservation leaders urged stronger measures to prevent future deaths and identify their root causes.

Environmentalists warned that repeated dolphin deaths signal growing threats to coastal marine biodiversity in the region.