11 Dead Dolphins Found on the Black Sea Coast

Six marine mammals were found on the shore, two in the water near Novorossiysk and on the beach in the village of Blagoveshchenskaya. The body of a dolphin covered in oil with its blowhole clogged was discovered in Anapa, and another one in the Sea of Azov.

"Dolphins usually avoid oil spills, but the consequences of oil contamination in the Black Sea can be delayed. If toxic substances accumulate in the animals' bodies in large quantities, there is a risk of an outbreak of infectious diseases. Birds, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish are primarily affected, but the toxins then travel up the food chain to dolphins. If this happens in large amounts, they accumulate, weakening the dolphins' immune system, which can lead to systemic diseases," said Tatiana Beley, Director of the Scientific-Ecological Center for Dolphin Rescue "Delpha."

Two tankers carrying petroleum products sank during a storm near the Kerch Strait on December 15. They were transporting 9,200 tons of fuel oil. As a result of the accident, an oil spill occurred, with approximately 3,700 tons of oil spilling into the sea. The spilled fuel oil polluted 54 kilometers of beaches in the Kuban region, including 44 kilometers in Anapa and 10 kilometers in the Temryuk district. The tanker crash in the Kerch Strait affected a key area of the Black Sea for dolphins.

The oil spill may harm bottom-dwelling commercial fish species, including mullet, flounder, and pelengas. Thousands of volunteers, emergency rescue teams, Cossacks, and military personnel are involved in mitigating the consequences of this environmental disaster. About 5,600 tons of fuel oil have already been collected along the coastal areas of the Krasnodar region and are being sent for disposal. Cleaning up the oil from the shore will take more than a month.