The environmental authority called on citizens, fishermen, and coastal residents to immediately report any stranding of dolphins, whales, or other anomalies in marine fauna to ensure timely, safe, and specialized care.
Thanks to public assistance, the dolphins were able to return to the sea. However, technical teams from the Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) in Los Santos and units of the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) activated their protocols for handling such cases.
The acting regional director of MiAmbiente in Los Santos, Lisbeth Vargas, highlighted the community's solidarity but reiterated the importance of not handling marine animals directly.
«We appreciate the gesture, but we ask that people avoid direct contact with marine fauna, as there are health risks for both humans and animals,» she stated.
According to reports, after receiving an alert from local residents, the technical team confirmed that the animals had already been helped by community members, who managed to get them back into the water.
At least four dolphins were found stranded on La Candelaria Beach in the province of Los Santos, specifically in a rocky area of the beach.
MiAmbiente reminded that the coast of Los Santos is one of the country's most frequent stranding zones and that mass strandings, like this one, had not occurred since 2016, underscoring the importance of documenting and monitoring such incidents.
The cause of the stranding has not yet been determined, but specialists indicated that possible reasons include animal disorientation, health conditions, or the effect of an unusually low tide, which left some areas with significantly low water levels.
«In any case, it is necessary to notify the authorities immediately,» they stated. «The community's response was key to helping these dolphins. The alert was given by local residents who, upon seeing the dolphins, tried to help them and notified the authorities».
