A new wave of environmental tragedy has struck the Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park, where dozens of dolphins have been found dead over the past few weeks. According to a statement from the park’s press service, 13 harbor porpoises were discovered in just a few days. Since late May, 67 deaths have been officially recorded, though researchers warn that this is only a fraction of the actual toll, as many carcasses remain on the seabed or are lost to sea currents.
This mass mortality is a direct consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Black Sea has become a theater of war where naval activity and underwater explosions severely disrupt marine life. The echolocation systems used by dolphins for navigation and hunting are severely compromised by high-intensity military noise, leading them to beach themselves or become trapped in fishing nets. Environmental experts emphasize that this constitutes a clear act of ecocide, with long-term consequences for the region’s biodiversity.
Estimates suggest that nearly 100,000 cetaceans have perished in the Black and Azov Seas since the start of the full-scale war. Beyond the immediate impact of combat operations, accidental oil spills from damaged Russian tankers and general maritime pollution have created a toxic environment. The environmental damage extends far beyond Ukraine’s coastline, with dead dolphins frequently washing up on the shores of Bulgaria and Romania. This tragedy underscores that the effects of the war are not limited to human casualties and infrastructure destruction, but also include a devastating assault on nature itself. Experts continue to track these impacts, noting that without an end to the hostilities and a restoration of maritime safety, the population of Black Sea mammals faces an existential threat that will require decades to address.