HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — A biologist is investigating the deaths of two dolphins this week in the May River near Bluffton.

The Island Packet of Hilton Head reports (http://bit.ly/S2gcOX ) that Jimmy McIntire of Bluffton was fishing from his boat Tuesday when he noticed a dead dolphin floating in the water. McIntire says it appeared to have been bitten by a shark. That dolphin's body has not been recovered.

Later the carcass of a badly decomposed dolphin was found downstream.

Wildlife biologist Wayne McFee says the deaths are investigated to see if mammals died because of interaction with people — such as being hit by a boat — or from some sort of disease.

About 50 dead dolphins are found along the South Carolina coast each year.

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Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com