US wildlife officials are investigating a spate of killings and mutilations of dolphins along the Gulf Coast over the past year.
A number of the mammals have washed ashore with bullet wounds, hacked-off fins and in one case a missing jaw.
One dolphin was found off Alabama with a screwdriver in its head over the summer, while another had its tail cut off, but survived.
Dolphins are protected by the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Under the law, harming a dolphin can lead to fines of up to $10,000 and a prison term of one year.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) has appealed for people along the US Gulf Coast to watch out for dead or injured dolphins.
Continued: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20414973
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