FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — NOAA wants to identify whoever impaled a live bottlenose dolphin in the head last month on Fort Myers Beach.

The agency said the adult lactating female was impaled with a spear-like object March 24 while in a “begging position.”

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“Begging is not a natural behavior for dolphins and is frequently associated with illegal feeding,” NOAA said in a news release.

Dolphins fed by people learn to associate people, boats and fishing gear with food, which can put both humans and animals in harmful situations, NOAA said.

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Since 2002, at least 27 dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico have stranded with evidence of being shot by guns or arrows or impaled with sharp objects, the agency said.

Harassing, harming, killing or feeding wild dolphins is unlawful. Those who do so can be fined up to $100,000 and jailed for a year.

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Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call NOAA at 800-853-1964.

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