Russia-Ukraine war blamed for deaths of 120,000 Black Sea dolphins

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 18:45 · Archive

More than 120,000 dolphins have died in the Black Sea since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, according to Ivan Rusev, head researcher at the Tuzly Lagoons national park in southern Ukraine. By 2026, this represented roughly one in four cetaceans in the Black Sea. The deaths have been caused by military operations rather than the fishing and poaching that had previously affected marine life in the region.

Explosions, missile launches and military sonar systems are confusing the dolphins and blocking their echolocation, their primary survival tool. This leaves them unable to hunt, navigate and communicate. Many dolphins found in nets are starved and still bear marks from the fishing equipment. Fishers cut off the animals' fins to release them, leaving their bodies to wash ashore.

As the dolphins lose the ability to hunt, they draw on their body fat for energy. However, the blubber has accumulated pollutants from wastewater, agricultural runoff, microplastics and antibiotics. This compromises their immune systems and leaves them vulnerable to lethal respiratory tract infections caused by morbillivirus. The war has also killed and deafened fish and startled migratory birds, further damaging the Black Sea ecosystem alongside toxic chemicals and fuel leaks from downed military equipment and sunken vessels.

How it is being reported

• Putin’s war on Ukraine blamed for 120,000 dead dolphins in the Black SeaExperts said more than 120,000 dolphins have died since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in 2022Independent World · 31 Oct, 18:23
• Dead dolphins, naval mines: Russia-Ukraine war destroys the Black SeaConflict devastates Black Sea marine life, killing more than 120,000 dolphins and causing ecological damage.Al Jazeera · 31 Oct, 08:27

In this story: Russia · Ukraine · Black Sea · Tuzly Lagoons · Ivan Rusev · Vladimir Putin

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