Thousands of burned dolphin carcasses have washed ashore along the coastlines of Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine recently.
The sudden and mysterious deaths of many dolphins have raised concerns among scientists that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is having a severe impact on marine life in the Black Sea.
Many dolphin carcasses have been found along the coastlines of countries bordering the Black Sea in a severely burned state. (Photo: Twitter)
Scientists believe that intense fighting along the Ukrainian coastline is causing environmental damage, altering the dolphins’ habitat. The serious conflict situation has made it difficult for researchers to gather detailed information, leaving the deaths of thousands of dolphins shrouded in mystery.
Recent studies from Bulgaria, Turkey, and Ukraine have identified that marine biodiversity is under threat due to bombing incidents in coastal areas, oil spills from sunken ships, and chemically polluted river water flowing into the sea.
Ivan Rusev, an environmental scientist at Tuzla National Park in Ukraine, stated that data collected by his agency since the conflict began indicates that thousands of dolphins have been killed. He noted that the noise from numerous ship engines and powerful sonar is disorienting the dolphins, which rely on sound for navigation.
“Some dolphins are burned from landmine explosions; they cannot navigate and therefore cannot find food,” he explained.
The Turkish Marine Research Fund released a report in March regarding the “unusual increase” in the number of dolphin carcasses washing ashore. The report indicated that dolphins have become entangled in fishing nets, and researchers are investigating what has happened, including the possibility of increased military activity in the northern Black Sea.
The Russian Navy controls the area adjacent to Ukraine’s Black Sea and is blocking all Ukrainian vessels. Kyiv has launched multiple attacks to regain control of several important ports on the Black Sea and the nearby Sea of Azov.
Before the conflict erupted, 100 scientists representing an international conservation group used 10 aircraft and 6 ships to survey marine life in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. They identified the Black Sea as home to 253,000 dolphins, affirming that this indicates a very active ecosystem in the region.
