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"Naked and Afraid" veteran Gary Golding did the unthinkable when he came across a dead baby dolphin on the beach ... he sliced it open and ate it.

TMZ's obtained this disturbing video showing Golding recently coming up on a dead baby dolphin that washed up in Laguna Beach, CA. Golding -- returning to the Discovery Channel in the new series "Naked And Afraid: Alone" -- at first says he wants to open up the baby dolphin to check if there's any plastic inside.

Watch the video ... Golding justifies his actions by saying he doesn't want the "poor creature" to go to waste. He then rips out the baby dolphin's heart with his bare hands and says he'll nourish himself and prove he's a true scavenger by eating the dolphin's heart.

For those still not queasy at the whole thing ... Golding later grills the meat and eats it. he said it definitely tastes gamey. Golding -- who is known as the "Tarzan of Los Angeles" and has made numerous 'Naked' appearances -- will be featured in Sunday night's episode.

The new series brings back former contestants who will brave the wilderness alone for 21 days ... either in the Amazon jungles, the Balkan Mountains or the African savanna.