By Kristina Pritchett
*Updated: 2:01 p.m.
A baby dolphin stranded itself on Capistrano Beach late Thursday, July 20, afternoon, officials said.
The dolphin, which died during the process of evaluation, was reported to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center by a San Clemente Animal Control officer.
On Monday, July 24 PMMC officials said results from a necropsy showed the dolphin did not nurse from its mother which resulted in death from starvation.
Additional testing will be conducting, but officials said those results will not be available for a few weeks.
PMMC responded to the call and arrived at the beach by 6:15 p.m., officials said.
A small crowd had gathered and had the animal in a small children’s pool to keep him wet and buoyant until PMMC arrived, a press release from the Center said.
PMMC’s veterinarian Kelli Barnett and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) West Coast Stranding Coordinator Justin Viezbicke said the dolphin was visibly emaciated.
“Unfortunately the animal was picked up in very poor condition and in the process of evaluation the animal passed,” Viezbicke said in a statement.
The release also stated less than one percent of cetaceans that strand survive.
The dolphin was estimated to be a one-week-old male.
A necropsy will be performed on the animal and results could be made available by Monday or Tuesday, officials said.
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