### Dolphin Remains Found on New Jersey Shore Spark Federal Investigation

The grisly discovery of a dolphin's remains on a New Jersey beach has launched a federal investigation. Last week, a common dolphin washed ashore in Allenhurst, just north of Asbury Park, with signs of having been butchered, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.

Reported on social media by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, the dolphin's flesh had been cleanly removed using a sharp instrument, leaving only the head, dorsal fin, and flukes intact. The center noted that the animal's organs were also taken out, except for the heart and lungs, which remained.

Witnesses had observed a common dolphin struggling in the surf just one block away from where the remains were found. However, the dolphin reportedly managed to swim back out to sea over a sandbar. It's still unclear if the carcass discovered belonged to the same dolphin spotted earlier.

The skeletal remains, blood-stained and gruesome, were documented and photographed before the center's staff buried them on the beach. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement is currently investigating the case to determine the circumstances that led to this disturbing act.