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Mystery Of Sandown's 'Stolen' Dead Dolphin Solved

The mystery of a dead dolphin - which disappeared from premises at Sandown Bay - has been solved.

As Isle of Wight Radio first reported yesterday (Wednesday), Arc and Artecology had applied for a license to keep the mammal's remains as part of its Discovery Bay Natural History Collection.

However, the body of the dolphin - which washed up on an Isle of Wight beach - went missing from behind its offices.

It has since been revealed that the Isle of Wight Council's waste department had removed the mammal carcass - and cremated it. 

Claire Hector, from Arc and Artecology, said:

"The dolphin was placed on land within our leasehold and was not on a public footpath or site. It could not be accessed by the public other than by people walking down the Grand's private lane or on to the land covered by our leasehold and so was not an environmental hazard to members of the public. The dolphin was neatly tucked behind a large piece of wood and was left to decompose deliberately as part of the experiment. Just a reminder that this isn't an area of private access.

"It might all sound a bit gruesome but that is natural science for you and part of the remarkable story of the Bay's wildlife and natural world."

Arc and Artecology says it has been offered the next cetacean that is found.

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