Officials reported that residents successfully rescued 30 dolphins by returning them to the water alive.

Scores of dead and dying dolphins have been discovered washed ashore on a beach in Somalia, according to local officials, with shocked residents reporting that they had never witnessed such an incident before.

Residents reported that at least 100 dolphins were stranded on Thursday afternoon along a stretch between the Bossaso port and Mareero beach in the northern Puntland region.

The Puntland government announced that the ministries of environment and fisheries are collaborating to urgently investigate this unusual event, promising a formal report on the possible causes. While the exact number of stranded dolphins has not been confirmed, the environment ministry stated that residents in the area estimated around 100 were washed ashore.

Local efforts led to the rescue of several dolphins, with the ministry commending residents who successfully returned 30 dolphins to the water alive. Witness Abullahi Muse claimed that 140 dolphins had come ashore, with most already dead while a few were still alive. He described the incident as horrifying and unprecedented, a sentiment echoed by other witnesses who reported similar numbers.

The Puntland environment ministry suggested that such incidents could be caused by illegal fishing nets or water contamination. Although such a large stranding has not previously been reported in Somalia, distressed marine mammals have been washing ashore in various parts of the world.

Scientists and conservationists have raised concerns about these deaths, pointing to indiscriminate fishing techniques as a likely factor.