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Rangers search for dolphin trapped in a tank top

Western Australia Parks and Wildlife staff call for the public's help in locating a dolphin caught in an article of clothing.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
dolphintrapped.jpg

This dolphin is in a dire predicament.

Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia

There's a sea creature in Australia's Koombana Bay in need of help. The Parks and Wildlife Department of Western Australia issued a plea on Facebook asking for the public's assistance locating a dolphin seen trapped in a tank top (known as a "singlet" in Australia).

The department believes a person was probably directly responsible for the dolphin's dangerous situation.

"It is unlikely that the dolphin swam into the singlet, so this appears to be an intentional act," the department said. "This could have been catastrophic for the dolphin if it had covered its blow hole and restricted its breathing."

Rangers are hoping to locate the dolphin and free it from the shirt. The department is also asking for any information about the incident that may have trapped the dolphin in the tank top in the first place.

The sea mammal was originally reported by a member of the public last week, but so far has not be seen again.

This wildlife plea, posted Sunday night Pacific time, comes on the heels of a report this week about a baby dolphin dying in Argentina after being pulled from the water by photo-taking tourists. A similar event happened in early 2016 as well.

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