MONROVIA, Liberia — A dolphin discovered on Miami Beach was reportedly killed and shared among community members before fisheries authorities arrived, raising fresh concerns over wildlife protection in Liberia just days after residents of Caldwell killed a crocodile.
J. Cyrus Saygbeh, Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), disclosed the incident, expressing sadness over the animal’s death.
“It’s sad to report that the dolphin discovered on Miami Beach earlier today did not survive before our team arrived at the scene. The community helped but later killed and shared it,” Saygbeh stated.
The incident comes days after residents of the Peace Community in Caldwell, Montserrado County, killed a crocodile on Friday, October 16, 2026, after spotting it moving through the community. Residents said they feared the animal could threaten children and other people in the area.
The Caldwell incident drew condemnation from conservationist Kanagbeh Boakai Mamanie Kamara, while the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) reminded the public that crocodiles are protected under Liberian law. The authority urged residents to report sightings of protected wildlife rather than take matters into their own hands.
The two incidents have renewed calls for public education on wildlife conservation and faster intervention by relevant authorities when animals are discovered in communities or along the coastline.
Liberia’s National Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Law of 2016 prohibits the killing and other specified activities involving listed protected species, including crocodiles. The legal status of the dolphin involved in the Miami Beach incident has not been established in the information released so far.
As of publication, NaFAA had not provided further details about the dolphin’s species, the circumstances surrounding its death, or whether an investigation had been initiated.
The incidents underscore growing concerns about how communities respond to encounters with wildlife, with conservation advocates urging residents to alert the appropriate authorities to help protect both human lives and animals.