Mass death of dolphins in the Black Sea: scientist names the reasons

This spring, especially in May, the number of dead and injured dolphins in the Black Sea has increased sharply. According to scientists, such a scale of losses has not been recorded since 2022.

This was reported by Ivan Rusev, head of the research department of the Tuzlivski Lymany National Nature Park.

According to him, numerous cases of dolphin deaths and strandings were recorded not only near the Odessa region, but also near Novorossiysk and occupied Crimea.

Researchers who studied the condition of the animals found signs of severe poisoning and serious problems with internal organs. These include damage to the liver and pancreas, exhaustion, dehydration, and impaired coordination.

Rusev believes that dolphins have become victims of several factors at once. First of all, this is pollution of the sea with oil products, as well as the consequences of war – explosions, sonar work and missile launches, which can disorient marine mammals.

The scientist explained that sometimes a dolphin that people find on the shore and return to the sea gives the impression of being rescued. However, this does not always mean that the animal has recovered.

“After the first shock, the dolphin tries to return to the open sea and to its pack. But if its body has already suffered serious damage, this rush may be the last,” Rusev explains.

He emphasizes that the war has caused significant environmental damage to the Black Sea. Shelling and destruction of port and other infrastructure have led to the release of petroleum products, heavy metals, ammunition remnants, fuel, lubricants, and other hazardous substances into the water.

According to the scientist, it is the combination of marine pollution and the impact of hostilities that could have caused the current wave of dolphin deaths, which he calls an ecological catastrophe for the Black Sea.

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