Investigations are underway after netizens reported the butchering of an aquatic animal alleged to be a baby Chinese white dolphin in Zhuhai, said Guangdong Ocean and Fishery Administration on Friday.

At 6:30 pm on Thursday, netizens reported that some people were butchering a dolphin near Nanshui in Zhuhai's Jinwan District.

After receiving the tip-off, law enforcement officers immediately headed to the spot.

They recovered and sealed the remains of the aquatic animal, which will be checked and verified by technical authorities, it was added.

A preliminary investigation by the local fishing bureau said a fisherman surnamed Zhong found a big fish floating in the sea near Gaolan Port. He saw the fish had been dead and dragged it to the wharf and let three other men butcher it.

The three suspects are currently cooperating with police investigations, the administration said.

The Chinese white dolphin, nicknamed "mermaid" and "giant panda of the sea", is mainly found in the western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. In China, it often appears in the East China Sea, and is guarded under first-class state protection.