Argentina: Twitter anger after selfie-hunters cause death of baby dolphin

Many have reacted angrily after a baby dolphin died while being passed around a group of beachgoers who each wanted to pose for a selfie with it. The dolphin was reportedly snatched out of the sea in Santa Teresita, Argentina.

Huge crowds gathered around the baby dolphin after a man scooped it up from the sea. According to reports, the dolphin subsequently overheated and died due to being out of its natural habitat for too long. A video later showed a group of people then discarding its body on the sand.

The dolphin was a La Plata or Franciscana species, typically found in the waters around Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. According to experts, there are only 30,000 of its kind left in the world and it is considered an endangered species.

Following the news of the incident in Santa Teresita, the Argentine Wildlife Foundation warned against removing creatures from the sea. The body explained that the Franciscana species, and similar creatures, could not remain outside of the water for very long due to having a thick skin that provides them heat. This means that they quickly dehydrate and die if removed from the water.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: "This occasion serves to inform the public about the urgent necessity to return these dolphins to the sea as soon as possible if they find them on the shore. It is fundamental that people help to rescue these animals, because every Franciscana counts now."

As news emerged about the incident, many took to Twitter to express disgust at what had happened, condemning the behaviour of the "selfie generation".