A endangered dolphin died after selfish beach-goers apparently took it from the sea to pose for photographs with it.

The young Franciscan dolphin died at the Santa Teresita resort in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last week after a scrum of people manhandled two of the marine animals out of the surf and passed them around, apparently for the sole purpose of taking selfies.

In images posted to Facebook by Hernan Coria, a dolphin can be seen being held aloft like a trophy as smiling onlookers take pictures.

After carelessly passing the animal around, at least one of the animals appears to have been left on the sand to die.

According to Argentinian wildlife charity Fundacion Vida Silvestre, the Franciscan dolphin is one the smallest and most endangered dolphins in the world, and is only found in the waters around Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

There are only around 30,000 of the dolphins left in the world.