Entire ecosystem at risk: How Russia's war could kill the Black Sea wiping out its wildlife
Without some of its inhabitants, the Black Sea could die (illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The war is destroying not only life on land but also the underwater world. Scientists are documenting mass dolphin deaths, while severe chemical pollution could spread as far as the Bosphorus Strait, affecting the entire Black Sea, according to Ivan Rusev, Doctor of Biological Sciences and head of the research department at the Tuzly Lagoons National Nature Park.
Key points:
- Environmental threat: Chemical pollution could spread to the Bosphorus Strait, contaminating the entire Black Sea and causing irreversible damage to its marine ecosystem.
- Scale of the tragedy: Around 20,000 dolphins died in the Black Sea during the first half of 2026 alone. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the death toll has exceeded 100,000.
- Main causes: Dolphins are dying due to enemy sonar systems, explosions, sea mines, naval drones, chemical poisoning, and even phosphorus burns.
- Hidden losses: Up to 95% of dolphin carcasses sink, meaning the actual number of deaths may be far higher than officially recorded.
- Mass migration: Because of the fighting, dolphins are fleeing dangerous waters and moving toward the coasts of Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, where their populations are now unusually concentrated.
What is happening to dolphins in the Black Sea?
According to the expert, the current situation for dolphins in the Black Sea is devastating.
"According to our estimates, around 20,000 dolphins have died in the first half of 2026 alone. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the number has exceeded 100,000," Rusev said.
He explained that the animals are suffering from a wide range of threats, including:
- Disruption of their echolocation system and navigation abilities caused by enemy sonar;
- Inability to remain in pods and physical exhaustion due to a lack of food;
- Weakened immune systems and outbreaks of morbillivirus, a common cetacean infection that is normally not fatal;
- Poisoning from chemicals accumulated in their bodies;
- Acoustic trauma caused by explosions, which can also trigger decompression sickness or heart attacks;
- Explosions and sea mines;
- The widespread use of naval drones;
- Even burns caused by phosphorus munitions, as phosphorus continues to burn underwater and inflicts fatal injuries on marine animals.
"About 95% of the bodies sink. And even of the remaining 5% that wash ashore, only a small fraction are ever found. That is why documenting dead dolphins is a race against time," the scientist said.
Why the consequences of the war could be catastrophic
Rusev said that the most important task now is to document the scale of the disaster, because if every death is not recorded now, people will later claim that the war had no impact.
"In reality, the impact is enormous. Never in the history of the Black Sea have these unique animals, which are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, faced such catastrophic pressure," the expert said.
He added that as the population declines, dolphins are becoming more cautious.
"We are now receiving reports from colleagues in Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkiye that dolphins are fleeing the combat zone in large numbers," the Doctor of Biological Sciences explained.
As a result, he said, their numbers in those waters are now higher than they would normally be at this time of year.
"They are trying to survive, but the overall population remains low," Rusev acknowledged.
At the same time, he warned that the greatest threat is that severe chemical pollution could spread all the way to the Bosphorus Strait.
"In other words, it could affect the entire Black Sea," the head of the research department explained.
As a result, the risks are extremely high.
"We could lose a unique ecosystem. Without dolphins, the Black Sea will no longer be alive. It will begin to deteriorate, and life within it will gradually disappear," Rusev stressed.
Finally, he noted that dolphins now urgently need proper protection and suitable conditions to survive.
Earlier, we reported on whether nature can recover from the war and which environmental losses have already become critical for Ukraine.
We also explained how the war in Ukraine is affecting the global climate on a planetary scale.
