On the morning of Friday 22 December 2023, a dead Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) washed up on the beach of Ostend, near the western harbour wall. It was a female measuring 2.07 meters in length.
The Common dolphin is a rare species in the North Sea but is the most common dolphin species in the Bay of Biscay and in the adjacent Atlantic Ocean. In the Bay of Biscay, thousands die in fishing nets every year.
It was no less than the third time in 2023 that a dead Common dolphin washed up on a Belgian beach, which is very exceptional. The specimen on 22 December was by far the freshest of the three and was therefore collected for further research. However, this will not take place until 2024, and will hopefully shed light on the health condition, cause of death and area of origin of the unfortunate animal.
