This information is provided by Ivan Rusev, an ecologist from the Tuzlovski Lymany National Park.

Reports indicate that dolphins in the Black Sea are dying due to weakened immunity and water pollution. Ecologists argue that their deaths are caused by concussions from sonars used by Russian military forces to detect underwater objects.

“Dolphins become susceptible to diseases due to concussions from sonars that were heavily used in 2022 during military activities in the northwestern part of the sea. After the Armed Forces of Ukraine pushed back Russian military vessels, the problems for dolphins did not cease, as they continue to use military sonars that are lethal to dolphins, leading to weakened immunity and various diseases, including skin ailments,” Ivan Rusev stated.

According to ecologists’ estimates, over 80,000 Black Sea cetaceans have died in the past three years due to sonar exposure, mine explosions, and bombings. Additionally, several thousand have perished from oil pollution resulting from tanker accidents in the Kerch Strait.