Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A mystery sea creature – with a ‘long beak’ and ‘furry tail’ – is said to be baffling marine experts over the world after its carcass reportedly washed up on a beach along the east coast of Russia.
The Siberian Times says the unidentified sea animal was discovered by locals near Shakhtersk Airport on Sakhalin – a Russian island that is so far east, it is closer to America than Moscow.
Bloodied, torn apart and with bones protruding, scientists say they have yet to attempt to identify the strange prehistoric-like “mutant.”
The Times describes it as being “twice the size of a human being” with “a huge nose like a bird’s beak.”
Some people have taken to social media to say the remains belong to a Ganges River dolphin – which is normally found in freshwater in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh – but it’s the presence of fur on the creature’s tail that’s causing a fuss.
One social media user joked: “Probably, our summer is so cold that even the Indian dolphins getting into local waters are covered with fur.”
Deputy Head of the Forecasting department of the Sakhalin Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Nikolay Kim, said: “Judging by the appearance of the head, this is clearly some big dolphin. According to a characteristic of the skin, it is a rare species.
“I doubt that it lived in our waters. Most likely, the animal was brought by the warm current.
“We often get tropical and subtropical species here and, when they cool down, they stay here and then die.
“I can confidently say that this is some kind of a dolphin. However, it has fur. It’s unusual. Dolphins do not have any fur.”
For now, though, the mystery remains.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments