Marine researchers say the dolphin must have been sick for quite a while

Jan 26, 2013 09:18 GMT  ·  By

This past Friday, a dolphin which somehow got stranded in the Gowanus Canal passed away without anyone being able to do anything to lend it a helping hand.

For the time being, neither marine researchers nor local authorities can say for sure what it was exactly that caused the dolphin's death.

Thus, despite the fact that said New York canal is known to be a highly polluted one, it is quite likely that the dolphin was feeling unwell prior to its stranding in the area. HuffPost reports.

As specialists explain, healthy dolphins typically avoid polluted environments, which is why this specimen's making its way in the Gowanus Canal must be interpreted as a symptom of illness.

For those unaware, the Gowanus Canal is presently listed as a Superfund site by the US Environmental Protection Agency, and its elevated levels of pollution are the direct result of years of sewer and industrial outflows.