A dead dolphin has been found on the banks of the River Barrow in landlocked Co Carlow.
The discovery was made in the village of St Mullin's in the south of the county on Wednesday.
It has been described as an "incredibly rare" incident given the remains were found around 35km inland from the coast.
The discovery was made by local resident Tony McGahan who said he came across the common dolphin "washed up" on the banks of the Barrow.
Mr McGahan said the discovery was a "sobering reminder that our rivers are not isolated systems - they are directly connected to our coastal and marine environments."
He said: "Finds like his highlight how far inland marine species can travel, and how closely linked river health, coastal processes, and biodiversity truly are.
"It also underlines the importance of continued monitoring, reporting, and protection of our waterways."
Meanwhile, Carlow County Council has said it co-ordinated with a number of agencies to facilitate the safe removal of the dead dolphin from the water.
Senior Executive Officer with the council's Environment and Climate Action Department Liam Carroll said the local authority was notified about the deceased animal on Wednesday.
He said: "On foot of the report, members of the Carlow County Council's Environment Team engaged directly with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) on a best course of action given the unique scenario presented."
Mr Carroll said the advice received from the IWDG required a plan of action to facilitate the deceased animal to be removed by an appropriately licensed fallen animal collector.
"Subsequently on Thursday 18 December, Carlow County Council Environment Staff co-ordinated with Waterways Ireland who assisted in retrieving the carcass from the water's edge to a safe and suitable location for onward removal.
"Throughout this process, council staff continued engagement with the IWDG and provided images to assist them with recording of the occurrence," he said.
Mr Carroll estimated that the remains were discovered approximately 35km inland from the coast.
He also thanked both the IWDG and Waterways Ireland staff for their "proactive engagement and assistance with this incident".
A spokesperson for the IWDG said such incidents are still rare but are starting to occur more regularly.
It is thought that the male dolphin could have been following a school of fish upriver as a source of prey before then becoming stranded after the tide went out.
