BEIJING, Nov. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- More than 250 dolphins were beached and died without immediate treatment late last Thursday on Boa Vista, one of the islands of the Cape Verde archipelago, media reported Wednesday.

"Unfortunately 265 dolphins perished," said Nadir Almeida maritime administrator of Cape Verde.

"We think that they spent several hours without being noticed," he said. "We could not do anything," he said.

He said 65 other dolphins were washed ashore on Monday on the same island but "efforts by private individuals and authorities helped save the animals."

Experts say there are times whole groups of dolphins are washed for unknown reasons from the ocean onto the beach, and they can only be saved through human intervention.

(Agencies)