'Naked And Afraid' Star Says He Ate Baby Dolphin

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A Discovery Channel reality television show personality said he recently came across a baby dolphin on the shores of Aliso Beach. Gary Golding, of "Naked and Afraid" fame, then videoed himself dissecting and eating the creature.

Though his trademark as "the Tarzan of LA" is to consume as little as possible, TMZ posted the video of him eating the creature, and a firestorm erupted.

The TMZ-released video, which is no longer on Golding's social channels, shows him as he performs a necropsy on the baby dolphin to "see if there is any plastic inside."

Then the self-described survivalist decides to consume the creature, "so it doesn't go to waste." Golding continues on to serve up his makeshift barbecue in the Aliso Beach parking lot.

There are many reasons a dolphin may suffer and die, then wash onshore, according to Pacific Marine Mammal Center spokesperson Krysta Higuchi. All of them are important to investigate, which is a task best left to professionals, Higuchi said.

"We just responded to our first dolphin report of the year last week," she told Patch. "Unfortunately, the adult Pacific white sided dolphin seized and died before we arrived."

It is unknown what species of dolphin Golding found and consumed, and it is also unknown why it died. Again, Higuchi tells Patch, those determinations should be made by professionals.

"It is essential to determine the full cause of death so that we can learn from that," she said. "They are sentinel species, and what affects them affects all of us."

Lt. Kai Bond of the Laguna Beach Marine Safety office said that "the date of the video is unknown," though it was shared on Jan. 12 by TMZ. "It could be a publicity stunt, as he posted the video for social viewing."

The incident is being investigated by the Marine Safety Police Department, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the NOAA Fisheries, Bond told StuNews.

Golding showcases his talents as a survivalist on his Twitter feed, such as showing how he eats sea urchins.

However, in this case, Laguna Beach fans and followers voiced their horror on social media.

Meanwhile, Golding is attempting to mend his reputation, sharing about how to live in harmony with nature.

A recent reputation-building post shows him bonding with a tiny turtle he names "Timmy" on "Naked and Afraid." He experiences a moral dilemma over whether he should eat "Timmy" as part of a stew or keep it as a pet.

What Golding should have done when he saw the beached creature he ate was to call the authorities, Higuchi said.

Anyone who comes across a marine animal beached or in distress should first call the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Higuchi says.

Whatever you do, do not touch the animals, she said, and certainly don't eat them.

"Inexperienced people should not handle marine mammals, whether they are living or dead," Higuchi said. "If you find a deceased ocean mammal, eating them would never be suggested. Cooking them will not get rid of potentially harmful diseases or parasites."

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center can be reached at 949-494-3050.