A teenager discovered the remains of a dolphin washed up on Portland.

Jack Rackley, 17, from Fortuneswell, found the carcass on Chesil Beach, near Quiddles Cafe, on the evening of Saturday, September 23.

He and his grandmother, Jacquie Taylor, took to local online groups to find answers.

Mrs Taylor said: "My grandson was walking along Chesil beach near the Victoria Square end, and he came across this [the dolphin] and upon asking on a local Portland group, on Facebook, we have come to the conclusion it is a dolphin.

"You could see where its snout was meant to be, it's so sad when something like this happens."   

Dorset Echo:

There are a host of different types of dolphin that swim in the Channel, with Bottlenose dolphins the most common. 

Other types include the short-beaked common dolphin, white-beaked dolphins, Risso's dolphin, whilst Harbour porpoise's and even whales can be spotted off the Dorset coast.

The Dorset Wildlife Trust confirmed that the dolphin was a juvenile female common dolphin and was aware of its presence on the beach.

A spokesperson said: "It's always sad to see a dead dolphin washed up on the beach but it’s still important to report these strandings as this information offers a glimpse into the health of our local seas."

The trust has reported the find to the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) which collect information about dolphins, whales and porpoises from all around the country.

The reporting of these incidents helps to better provide an understanding of what species are found around the UK. 

In some cases the CSIP will retrieve the carcass to carry out further examinations to try and identify any factors that may have contributed to its death.

The spokesperson added:  "There are many reasons why these animals die, ranging from natural causes to a result of human activity such as bycatch from fisheries, entanglement in ghost fishing gear or pollution."

If anyone spots a dead dolphin in Dorset, they can call Wild Chesil Centre on 01305 206191 or the Wild Seas Centre (Kimmeridge) on 01929 481044 or via email: kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk. 

Alternatively, they can be reported to CSIP directly on: 0800 652 0333.