Why Military Activity in The Black Sea May Be Driving Dolphins to The Brink

There have been hundreds of dolphin and porpoise deaths in the Black Sea since Russia invaded Ukraine.

An "unusual increase" in strandings and bycatch of dolphins, porpoises, and whales was reported by scientists who study the region.

The entire Black Sea basin is under threat due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. The marine biota may be affected by military activities in the area.

There have been more than 700 deaths of dolphins and harbor porpoises on the coast of countries that border the sea.

The ongoing war and the threat of drifting mines make it difficult for researchers to determine the cause of deaths.

There have been reports that dolphins have been injured in the crossfire and have washed up on the shore. Ivan Rusev, the research director at the Tuzla Estuaries National Nature Park, said earlier this year that dolphins were washing up with burn marks from bombs or mines, while others were unable to navigate.

The loud noises associated with warfare could be to blame for the increase in dolphin strandings.

"Dolphins and porpoises depend on sound to navigate, find their food, and communicate with each other."

Increased ship traffic can have some impact but the sounds of explosions at the surface or underwater could disorient, wound, or kill dolphins and porpoises within a few mile range or cause increased numbers of strandings or by catch.

Dolphins, porpoises, and whales can hear and use echolocation to find their way around.

They emit "clicks" that travel through the water until they encounter an object and bounce back to the dolphin.

Loud noises can disrupt the dolphin's ability to sense food and environment.

Dolphins use sound, like a whistle, to communicate with each other, and have even been documented using verbal labels to address one another.

The impact of explosions in the sea is more damaging due to the fact that sounds travel much further and faster through water.

The noise disruptions could be causing the dolphins to get stranded on shore or caught in a fisherman's net, which could be the reason for the increased deaths.

Another factor could be that the fighting is driving the mammals away from Ukrainian waters and bringing them to unfamiliar areas in search of food, where they are more likely to end up in a net or stranded.

The situation has worsened due to the fact that experts have identified coastal areas nearUkraine as vital for some dolphin and porpoise populations. The Task Force seeks to identify areas that are important to the preservation of marine mammals.

Several locations around Ukraine, including some that have been subject to fighting, have been designated as important habitats in the past.

The Black Sea common dolphin, the Black Sea harbor porpoise, and the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin are three species that the IUCN considers to be in danger.

There are fears that the dolphins and porpoises will be killed or driven out of the area. We won't know until after the war is over.

The original article was published by Business Insider.