Black Sea ecologists alarmed by rising number of dolphin deaths

June 5, 2012 – BLACK SEA - Hardly a day goes by in Sochi, Russia’s picturesque Black Sea resort, without a dead dolphin washing up on the beach. With the tourist season just kicking off, the unexplained deaths have yet to draw much scrutiny. But environmentalists are increasingly alarmed. The dolphin carcasses are also turning into a real holiday spoiler for vacationers drawn to the region’s scenic beaches and pristine vistas. Russian tourist Aida Kobzh was shocked to discover a group of dead dolphins last week at her local beach in Sochi. “Everyone stood there and stared at the dead little dolphins lying belly up. Poor creatures!” Kobzh says. “There were some on the beach but also in the water, they were floating there, dead.” The dolphins started washing up along Russia’s Black Sea coast several weeks ago. They have also been spotted on Ukrainian shores. Environmentalists are now talking about the biggest dolphin die-off to date in the region, with an estimated 300 animals dead so far. Local authorities have made no serious attempt to investigate the deaths, saying the animals are too decayed by the time they reach the shore for laboratory tests to be conducted. Officials have blamed poachers and fishing nets. They say the unusually cold winter has driven dolphins from the Sea of Azov to the warmer Black Sea. Some experts, like local zoologist Konstantin Andramonov, point to a possible killer virus. “The death toll is constantly growing, unfortunately,” Andramonov says. “We are now witnessing the same in Ukraine. There is a hypothesis that we are dealing with an infectious disease that occurs roughly every 20 years.” Most experts, however, believe the real culprit is ever-increasing pollution in the Black Sea region. “If sea creatures that are adapted to life in the sea react this way, what will the consequences be for humans?” Noskovets says. “Every year, numerous people suffer poisoning incidents after bathing in the sea, and these are always blamed on food poisoning. It is a nasty lie from our authorities, who are afraid of telling the truth — that the Black Sea is simply being poisoned.” –Radio Free Europe

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