A dolphin who had to be rescued from a Cumbrian port will die unless she is left alone, marine experts have warned.
Marra, a bottlenose, became a tourist attraction when she had to be freed from Maryport harbour in January.
Recently she has been seen with wounds around her tail and eye, possibly caused by ropes or boats, and a life-threatening wound under her tail.
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDLMR) said people trying to befriend Marra were putting her at risk.
Other people had also been deliberately abusing her, a spokesman said.
He added: "It is possible to tame solitary dolphins and through this summer many people have gone out of their way to 'make friends'.
"Unfortunately, the tamed dolphins not only lose their natural fear of people but also come to look to humans for companionship and entertainment.
"This inevitably leads them into trouble. Then there is people behaving badly around the dolphins - for example crowding them in with several vessels, chasing them or even driving straight at them.
"Essentially, Marra, like other fully human-habituated dolphins, is unlikely to survive."
Marra, named after the local word for "mate", had to be rescued because of her flagging health in the cold marina.
A 100-strong crowd gathered to watch the operation which was also overseen by the police, the RSPCA and the RNLI.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society has also been trying to protect Marra since her rescue, but said it could not watch the animal "round-the-clock."
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~18~RS~)