Over 30 Dolphins Dead in Black Sea After December 15 Oil Spill in Kerch Strait

Jan 5, 2025, 06:24 PM

More than 30 dolphins have died in the Black Sea following an oil spill caused by the sinking of two Russian tankers on December 15. The Delfa Dolphin Rescue and Research Center in Russia reported that a total of 61 cetaceans, including dolphins and whales, were found dead since the incident, with 32 of them likely succumbing to the effects of the fuel oil spill. The majority of the deceased dolphins are from the endangered Azov species. The spill occurred in the Kerch Strait, which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia's southern Krasnodar region. Cleanup efforts have been ongoing, with over 96,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil removed from the affected areas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the incident as an 'ecological disaster.'