In Panama Four Dolphins Were Found Beached in La Candelaria but the Community Saved Them!
The residents didn’t wait for the technical team and without thinking twice, they rushed to return the dolphins to the sea. MiAmbiente noted that the coast of Los Santos is one of the areas with the highest number of recorded strandings in the country.
At least four dolphins were found stranded on La Candelaria beach in the province of Los Santos, specifically in a rocky area. The discovery was reported by local residents who, upon seeing the dolphins, tried to help them and alerted the authorities. Thanks to the help of local residents, the dolphins returned to the sea. However, technicians from the Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) in Los Santos and units from the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) activated their protocols for handling such cases. It was reported that after receiving an alert from area residents, the technical team confirmed that the animals had already been assisted by community members, who successfully returned them to the sea.
So far, the causes of the stranding have not yet been determined, but specialists indicated that among the possible reasons are the disorientation of the animals, some health condition, or the effect of the high tide, which at that time left areas with considerably low water levels. Lisbeth Vargas, the regional director in charge of the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente) in Los Santos, highlighted the community’s act of solidarity but reiterated the importance of not directly handling marine animals. “The community’s response was key to helping these dolphins.
We appreciate this gesture, but we ask that you avoid direct contact with marine wildlife, as there are health risks for both people and animals. In any case, it is necessary to immediately notify the authorities,” she stated. MiAmbiente noted that the coast of Los Santos is one of the areas with the most recorded strandings in the country, and that multiple events like this had not occurred since 2016, which reinforces the importance of monitoring and timely reporting. The organization made a special appeal to citizens, fishermen, and residents of coastal areas to report any strandings of dolphins, whales, or other marine wildlife anomalies, to ensure prompt, safe, and specialized care.
