Dolphin Deaths in the Black Sea: Causes and Impacts

This information was provided by Ivan Rusev, an ecologist from the National Park «Tuzlovsky Limans».

Russian reports indicate that dolphins in the Black Sea are dying due to weakened immune systems and pollution. However, ecologists argue that the primary cause of their deaths is the concussions caused by sonar systems used by the Russian military to detect underwater objects.

Ivan Rusev states: «Dolphins become vulnerable to diseases as a result of concussions from sonars, which were extensively used in 2022 during the active phase of the war in the Northwest part of the Black Sea. After the Armed Forces of Ukraine pushed their military ships back to occupied Sevastopol, they continue to kill dolphins using harmful military sonars. Consequently, this leads to decreased immunity and various diseases, including skin conditions.»

Ecologists estimate that over the past three years, more than 80,000 Black Sea cetaceans have died due to sonar impacts, mine explosions, and bombings. Thousands more have perished from oil pollution resulting from tanker accidents in the Kerch Strait.