BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — A dead dolphin has washed ashore in Biloxi and one official says the death may be a casualty of the red tide algae bloom.

The Sun Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1Ocp8Q3) the young dolphin was found Thursday morning surrounded by smaller rotting dead fish.

Institute for Marine Mammal Studies Executive Director Moby Solangi says the dolphin was about 4 to 5 months old and the death is highly unusual this time of year.

The algae bloom has killed thousands of fish along the Coast and was responsible for the Dec. 11 closings of area beaches and oyster reefs.

Solangi says the dolphin is the first sea mammal to have been found dead since the onslaught of the algae bloom.

He said the red tide is the worst he’s seen this late in the year.

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