Porpoise drowns in net during tagging exercise, project halted
Dutch NewsAn attempt to put tracking devices on three porpoises caught in the North Sea by Wageningen researchers has resulted in the death of one of the animals, One of the porpoises was successfully fitted with a device and released but the second became too stressed and had to be returned to the sea without a tag. The project, aimed at gaining an insight into the habitat and behaviour of porpoises, has been halted pending an investigation by Utrecht University’s veterinary department into the death of the animal and an evaluation by Wageningen University itself. Porpoises are a protected species and that means the government must make sure the animals don’t come to harm when planning activities on the North Sea, such as offshore wind farms. Director Annemarie van den Berg said it is one thing to tag the animals but it “must be done under the right circumstances,” she told local broadcaster NH Nieuws.
History of this topic
Unprecedented number of porpoises wash ashore on the Wadden Islands
NL Times
Well-known harbor porpoise found dead in Zeeland
NL Times
The animal kingdom's deadliest hunter? Harbour porpoises catch 90% of their prey, study finds
The IndependentDiscover Related