Two dead dolphins were discovered on the shores of Masonboro Island Reserve last week, sparking an investigation by local marine experts.
The UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Program says the dolphins were found in separate areas of the island last Wednesday.
Initial necropsy results show the animals were not a mother-calf pair. One was a young male calf suffering from skin lesions over half its body, indicating a likely illness. The second was a large offshore male found with a parasitic liver infection.
Scientists say these findings offer a rare window into the health of offshore populations, though final results on the cause of death are still pending.
