A THONG became so tightly wrapped around a dolphin's flipper that it almost cut to the bone and contributed to the animal's death.
The sea creature washed up on a Brazilian beach with the underwear attached to it, which scientists believe had compromised its ability to swim and fish.
A team of vets carried out an autopsy of the Guiana dolphin and believe its flipper became tangled in the thong when it was very young.
Veterinarian Giulia Gaglianone said the female dolphin's skin had healed around the fabric, leaving the animal with a permanently open wound through which the material looped.
The dolphin's carcass, measuring up at around 1.4m, was discovered by an environmental monitoring team on a beach in Itapoa on May 16.
The creature, which weighed 32.2kg, also showed signs of chronic weakness, thinness and pneumonia.
It also had hoards of parasites in part of its ear and lungs, also well as gill net marks around its face and breathing hole.
Guiana dolphins are found in coastal shallow waters and estuaries along the Atlantic coast of South and Central America
Their population size is not known, however.
Females can grow up to 2.2metres in length and can weigh up to 121kg.
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