Biologists investigate deaths of 82 stranded dolphins in Florida

[January 17, 2017]    (Reuters) - Biologists were on Monday investigating the death of dozens of false killer whales that became stranded in Florida's Everglades National Park over the weekend, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.

Stranded false killer whales are seen on a beach at sunrise, at Kommetjie near Cape Town May 30, 2009. REUTERS/Chad Chapman

The U.S. Coast Guard spotted the stranded mammals, members of the dolphin family, on Saturday in Hog Key. A total of 82 were found dead and another 13 were unaccounted for, NOAA said.

Biologists will try to determine the cause of death using samples collected during post-mortem examination.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; editing by John Stonestreet)

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.