A dead dolphin has washed up in Elizabeth Quay
© PaulGerrard1/TwitterA dead dolphin has washed up in Elizabeth Quay
A female dolphin named Pirulli and her calf have been found dead in the Swan River, near Elizabeth Quay.

Cottleslow resident Paul Gerrard said it was 'sad to see a dead dolphin in Elizabeth Quay', on a Twitter post attached to a photo of the calf.

It was a dark contrast to pictures posted by Environment Minister Greg Hunt just ten days earlier of dolphins swimming by the Quay as the sun rose.

Researchers believe there are 23-25 dolphins living in the Swan River.

A spokesperson for Murdoch University told MailOnline that Pirulli, who has been monitored since 2009, was more than 30 years old and she had given birth to a calf eight months ago.

'Pirulli was one of 11 breeding females in the river, so that's a bit of a loss, but she's had a good run,' they said.

The mother was removed from the water about 9am on Friday, before reports came in of a dead calf in the afternoon, a Department of Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman told PerthNow.

Both dolphins have been taken to Murdoch University's Cetacean Research Unit for a necropsy, which is an autopsy performed on an animal.

The process is likely to take a few days, as a large number of dolphins have been brought in over the last few days for a number of reasons, including one from Port Kembla who was tangled in line.