Live dolphin stranding in Slovenia

On the morning of Sunday, 28 June 2026, Morigenos received a call about a live stranded dolphin in Seča, Slovenia. Members of the public who were present at the beach initially tried to push the animal into deeper water, but the animal immediately returned to the beach. Following communication with Morigenos team, they helped keep the animal afloat and provided shade until the Morigenos team arrived.
Upon arriving at the scene, Morigenos researchers determined that the animal was a female bottlenose dolphin in very poor condition. It was unable to stay afloat, was malnourished and exhibited multiple external parasites and subdermal abscesses, leading to very poor prognosis. Morigenos team continued supporting the dolphin and assisting its breathing, recorded its vocalisations and breathing patterns, and collected morphometric measurements, to better understand the animal’s condition and holistic circumstances surrounding the event. Colleagues from University of Padua, veterinary experts in dolphin pathology, and Dr Zlatko Golob, Slovenian veterinary expert on free-ranging animals, were also informed and consulted. The dolphin continued to deteriorate quickly and died in the arms of the research team at approximately 10:15 a.m.
This is the first case of a dolphin live stranding in Slovenia in the past 25 years since Morigenos has been studying dolphins here. The exact nature and cause of the dolphin’s condition remain unknown and will be investigated through a post-mortem examination. Bottlenose dolphins are known as a coastal species which do not typically strand alive due to navigation error. Instead, such events are typically associated with illness, injury, or another serious condition affecting the animal.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone that informed us about the dolphin, and provided the necessary support and shade to the animal and to our efforts.
If you encounter dolphins in difficulty, please contact us at +386 31 77 10 77.