Lifestyle Pets Dolphin Stabbed Near Eye with a Spear-Like Object Found Dead on Florida Beach, Officials Say Officials suspect someone impaled the female bottleneck dolphin while feeding the marine mammal illegally near Fort Meyers By Stephanie Wenger Stephanie Wenger Instagram Twitter Stephanie Wenger is a TV Writer/Reporter at PEOPLE. She joined the brand in 2021 as digital news writer, spanning across the site's verticals. She previously contributed to E! Online, HollywoodLife, Discover Los Angeles, Oscar.com and Hollywood.com. She appeared on air at AfterBuzz TV. She began her journalism career as an intern at Good Morning America and Access Hollywood. She graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's in communications and received a Master's in journalism from the University of Southern California. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 18, 2022 03:08 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Stock photo of a dolphin not the late K2. Photo: Getty WARNING: Graphic photos below A dolphin washed up on a Fort Myers, Florida, beach after being fatally stabbed above the eye last month, according to officials. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recovered the female bottleneck dolphin on March 24, per a press release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Officials suspect the dolphin was still alive and being illegally fed when she was impaled, the press release stated. "Based on the shape, size, and characteristics of the wound, it is suspected that the dolphin was impaled while in a begging position," NOAA said. "Begging is not a natural behavior for dolphins and is frequently associated with illegal feeding." Sick Dolphin Dies After Being Harassed and Ridden on by Texas Beachgoers: Animal Experts The dolphin likely died due to trauma from the stab, according to the agency. The organization is calling for people to stop feeding wild dolphins to avoid further incidents. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission "People can help prevent future harm to wild dolphins by not feeding or attempting to feed them," NOAA said. "Dolphins fed by people learn to associate people, boats, and fishing gear with food, which puts dolphins and people in harmful situations." Dolphin Strikes Trainer During Performance at the Miami Seaquariam in Florida Denise Boyd, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission research associate, told WSVN that the dolphins are looking for easily accessible food. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday. "They [dolphins] will generally come up out of the water looking for, basically, a handout," she explained to the outlet. Bottlenose Dolphin Who Starred in Dolphin Tale Films in Critical Condition, Aquarium Says Harming, killing, or feeding wild dolphins is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Violators could face up to one year in jail and $100,000 in fines, according to the agency. At least 26 other dolphins have been found with injuries from guns, arrows, and sharp objects since 2002, per NOAA.