Tourists in China captured a poignant moment on camera recently when they saw an adult dolphin carrying its deceased calf out to sea.

In the photograph, the dolphin has mounted the baby's limp body on its back and a large, bloody gash can be seen in the calf's side. According to the Daily Mail, it appears the dolphin might have been hit by one of the tour boats that ferry around the well-known dolphin-watching area in China's Guangxi Zhuang region.

"I have heard dolphin saves human, but it’s my first time to see such a scene," a boatman familiar with the area told CEN/Europics.