Explained: How thousands of dolphins are dying in the Black Sea due to Ukraine war

The ongoing Russian war in Ukraine is extracting its toll beyond human casualties as scientists are blaming it for the death of thousands of dolphins in the Black Sea. According to a report by The Guardian, researchers believe heightened noise pollution in the northern Black Sea, caused by about 20 Russian navy vessels and ongoing military activities, are sending dolphins towards their death on Turkish and Bulgarian shores, where they are being stranded or caught in fishing nets in unusually high numbers. What is happening to the dolphins? According to the Independent, Ivan Rusev, research director at Ukraine’s Tuzla Estuaries National Nature Park, said in a Facebook post that the marine mammals were washing up on the coastline of the Black Sea bordering several countries, including Ukraine, Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania. Rusev shared images of washed up dolphins with what he claims to be war-related injuries. [caption id=“attachment_10774071” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Dolphins washed up on the coasts of Turkey, Bulgaria and Ukraine had suffered burns from explosions and other injuries to organs used for orientation. Photo: Kosta Atanasov[/caption] He claimed that the marine mammals have burns from bombs and landmines, as well as internal injuries, and also show signs of starvation. Since they cannot reach large stretches of Ukrainian coastline, Rusev and his team haven’t been able to survey the extent of the harm to the Black Sea dolphins, however, he estimates up to 2,000 may have been affected. The Turkish marine research foundation had also raised an alarm about the effects of the war on marine ecosystems in the area. It said that apart from the polluted water, intense ship noise and low-frequency sonars are a serious threat to marine species, especially dolphins that use sound-activated ways. The research foundation warned that oil and gas leaks from sunken military ships could also aggravate damages to the ecosystem. Russian war’s impact on marine life The Turkish Marine Research Foundation noted that the war has caused a “crisis in biodiversity”. The over three-months long war has caused destruction of endangered red algae, which acts as a “living ground” for many marine species, and feeding grounds for fish — including dolphins — transformed into a maritime war zone. According to The Guardian, Rusev has counted more than 200 bombs hitting the lagoons, which disturbed water birds such as avocets and Dalmatian pelicans during critical migration and nesting periods. “Normally, we have between 1,000 and 1,500 white pelicans, which migrate from Africa. Now, we only have 300. They are very disturbed by the bombing,” he said. Heavy metals and other pollutants also pose a great threat to the coastal biodiversity. Craters made by bombs invite invasive species and chemicals alter the soil’s makeup in fragile ecosystems. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.