Key points
- On June 6-7, 37 dead dolphins were found on the coast of the Tuzly Lagoons National Park.
- Some of the animals died over a month ago, and their bodies have only now been washed ashore.
- The death of cetaceans has been recorded on the Romanian and Bulgarian coasts – the tragedy affects the entire Black Sea.
- The cause is the impact of war: mines, air bombing, rocket launches, and Russian military hydroacoustic systems are destroying the sea’s ecosystem.
- Scientists are documenting each case as evidence for future international consideration.
On the coast of the Tuzly Lagoons National Park in Odesa region, 37 dead dolphins were found on June 6-7 – 22 animals on a 25 km stretch of beach and another 15 cetaceans on the next 13 km of the route. This was reported by ecologist Ivan Rusev.
Such a large number of deaths in such a short time has not been recorded in the national park before. Some of the animals died over a month ago, and their bodies have only now been washed ashore.
Of the 22 dead dolphins, 20 were common dolphins, one was a bottlenose dolphin, and one was a white-beaked dolphin. On the same day, injured dolphins were found in the Odesa Bay.
We have only examined 25 km of the national park’s coastline. And on a large stretch of thousands of kilometers of sea, it is likely that thousands have been washed ashore. It is also important to understand that a significant number of dead animals sink to the bottom of the sea. And this tragedy is certainly not local.
– ecologist Ivan Rusev.
The death of cetaceans during the same period – late May to early June – has also been recorded on the Romanian and Bulgarian coasts of the Black Sea.
Researchers link the mass death to the comprehensive impact of the full-scale war: underwater mine explosions, air bombing, rocket launches, and powerful hydroacoustic systems of Russian military ships are working synergistically – each factor enhances the effect of the others.
The most critical situation has developed in the northwestern part of the sea, where populations of Black Sea cetaceans are losing their immunity and genetic potential for recovery every day.
Scientists are documenting each case as evidence for future international consideration. Employees of the national park and representatives of the Maritime Department of the 26th Border Guard Detachment have joined the work.
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