Risso's Dolphin Washes Up On East Hampton Beach

EAST HAMPTON, NY — It was a rare sight in East Hampton Sunday morning when a Risso's dolphin was found washed up on Georgica Beach by a resident.

According to Rob DiGiovanni, chief scientist at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, or AMSEAS, the dolphin was a female, about 10-feet, 8-inches long.

The cause of death was natural, DiGiovanni said. "It appears she had a parasite load in her. She was thin, and when the necropsy was done, they found lesions. We think it was a parasitic infection that caused her to strand," he said.

The necropsy was done on Monday, DiGiovanni said.

Risso's dolphins are "not super common in the area; they are usually found offshore. But we have seen them at times," DiGiovanni said.