US authorities found the skull of a young dolphin in an unattended bag at a Detroit airport

CNN
—

Federal authorities made a grim and unexpected discovery in an unattended bag last week at a Detroit airport.

Inside, the bag contained the skull of a young dolphin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release Friday.

The bag was separated from its owners while traveling and upon arrival in the United States, a routine check at Detroit Metro Airport revealed what appeared to be a skull-shaped object, CBP said in the press release.

“Upon further examination by CBP and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials, it was determined that the skull was from a juvenile dolphin,” the statement said.

The skull was turned over to US Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors for further investigation.

“Possession of wildlife items, especially those of protected animals, is prohibited,” regional port manager Robert Larkin said in a statement. “We take wildlife smuggling seriously and work closely with our federal partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect wildlife and their habitats.”

There are restrictions and requirements on the import and export of certain fish, wildlife and products derived from them – and this is not the first time US authorities have made a similar seizure.

In December, CBP officers seized zebra and giraffe bones from a woman at Dulles International Airport in Washington. The woman, who was traveling from Kenya, had kept the bones as souvenirs, authorities said at the time.