The first dolphins of the year have been spotted in Tuzly Lagoons in Odesa Oblast

The first dolphins of 2026 were spotted in the Tuzly Lagoons National Nature Park in Odesa Oblast. They were recorded during a survey of the Black Sea coast. This was reported by Ivan Rusev, Doctor of Biological Sciences and head of the research department of the national park, on Facebook, writes UNN.

Details

According to him, after an anxious night, specialists surveyed the Black Sea coast for pollution and dead birds. It was then that five dolphins were spotted in the park's waters, hunting schools of fish. Large grebes were also feeding nearby.

The ecologist explained that the seasonal migration of fish is currently underway, so dolphins are returning from their wintering grounds, including from areas near occupied Crimea, Georgia, and Turkey, to the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

Among the main fish species are atherina, mullets, anchovies, and flounder-gloss. In addition, birds such as cormorants, gulls, and various species of grebes, which also hunt fish, have become significantly more active in the coastal zone. At the same time, scientists emphasize that the war has dealt a serious blow to Black Sea cetaceans.

Due to the full-scale war, the population of Black Sea cetaceans has suffered significant losses. According to national park estimates, over 80,000 dolphins have died in recent years due to explosions, noise pollution, and poisoning, particularly after the accident of Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait in December 2024.

The ecologist emphasized that to restore the population, it is critically necessary to create a large marine reserve in the Black Sea, as well as a rehabilitation center for affected animals. Despite the war, "Tuzly Lagoons" remains one of the few areas of the Ukrainian coast where regular environmental monitoring is possible.

Flamingos have returned to the chalk lake in the Kyiv Zoo27.03.26, 16:13 • 1778 views