During the carnival holiday in Crucita, Portoviejo, an alarming incident occurred where a dolphin was brutally eviscerated on the beach in front of numerous tourists. The event, filmed and widely shared on social media and WhatsApp groups, shows a group of people dragging the dolphin to the shore before performing the gruesome act. One video captures a man pulling the cetacean along the sand, with another assisting in lifting the animal onto the beach's rocky surface. Even onlookers included authorities, as a police officer recorded the situation, underlining the disturbing spectacle in broad daylight.

Eyewitness accounts describe the scene unfolding in horror, culminating in a second video that depicts the apex moment of brutality: a third individual, wielding a knife, begins to open the dolphin while bystanders express their disgust and outrage. The audio of the recording conveys a mix of shock and revulsion from the tourists, with comments ranging from disbelief to calls for decency, as one witness exclaimed, 'What a despicable being, why open it?' indicating a collective condemnation of the act.

This incident raises serious ethical and environmental concerns regarding the treatment of marine life and highlights a growing awareness of animal welfare among the public. Such events lead to calls for increased legal measures to protect dolphins and other marine creatures from inhumane treatment, as well as fostering dialogue about the need for broader educational initiatives on wildlife conservation in Ecuador, particularly in tourist areas where interactions with nature can sometimes take a violent turn.