Nation IN BRIEF : TEXAS : Dozens of Dolphins Die in Gulf Waters

At least 24 bottlenose dolphins were found dead, either floating or washed ashore near Matagorda, Tex., and one marine animal expert said that subzero temperatures last month may have been the killer. Volunteers in boats helped to pull the carcasses from Matagorda Bay, between Galveston and Corpus Christi. Specialists from the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network will examine the remains and try to determine what killed the animals, Mike Carvan at the organization’s office in Galveston said. Game Warden Arthur Lawrence said the December freeze, which killed thousands of fish in the gulf, may also be to blame for the loss of the dolphins. “Some (dolphins) probably became disoriented and stunned as a result of this cold and icy weather, and they can suffocate and suffer pneumonia, just like a human,” he said.