War's silent victims:Black Sea dolphins perish amid Russian naval activities and bombardments
In the Black Sea, dolphins continue to die due to the presence of the hostile Russian fleet and ongoing bombardments.
Weakened by the blasts from hydro-locators, dolphins are losing their immunity and facing devastating stress. The dolphins, already suffering from the bombardments, show a sharp decline in their health as they are caught in the crossfire of war.
Marine life, including dolphins—the smartest inhabitants of the sea—is paying the price of conflict, as Russia tries to occupy not just Ukrainian land but also its waters. Despite numerous reports highlighting these grim realities, the dolphin population continues to dwindle at an alarming rate. Recent instances underscore this tragic trend.
Dr. Ivan Rusev, a noted biologist, said on Freedom TV that a dead baby common dolphin was recently washed ashore at the Tuzly Lagoons National Nature Park, while another dolphin was found near the village of Hrybivka. Sadly, these cases are not isolated.
Further reports suggest that dolphins have been found washed up on the coasts of the Black Sea in Bulgaria and along the shores of the Sea of Azov. The primary cause remains consistent—war.
The use of hydro-locators and sonars on some Russian ships near Novorossiysk and occupied Crimea generates powerful waves that harm marine life. Dr. Rusev explains that these waves cause severe acoustic trauma, disabling the dolphins' navigational and echolocative functions, rendering them essentially blind.
Without their crucial ability to use echolocation, these stressed and panicked dolphins lose environmental control, often colliding with obstacles, including mines, and smashing against rocks. Critically, these incapacitated dolphins can't hunt fish, resulting in swift starvation.
Exposure to these devastating hydro-locators leaves dolphins in a blind and weakened state, with drastically reduced immunity, making them susceptible to infections. It’s possible that the massive sonar waves, coupled with the bombardment noise decibels, could cause gas embolism or decompression sickness upon sudden surfacing, potentially leading to paralysis or death.
The only hope for these dolphins lies in eliminating the Russian fleet, as the Black Sea is their only home. However, efforts to restore their population will be an uphill battle.
Dr. Rusev reminds us that, back in 2022, regional prosecutors initiated a criminal investigation. Yet, nearly two years later, tissue samples from the deceased dolphins are still being analyzed in Italy and Germany — without any conclusive answers.