688 dolphins died in the past year following the fuel oil spill in Kuban

The bodies of 688 dead dolphins have been found along the coast of the Krasnodar Krai in the year since the fuel oil spill. Not all of these deaths are related to the fuel oil spill, but its effects will persist for several years, according to specialists from the Delfa Center.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," on December 1, volunteers reported  finding two dead dolphins while cleaning up a fuel oil spill on the coast in the Krasnodar Krai. On December 2, 17 dead dolphins  were found during a survey of the coastal area from the Temryuk District to Anapa .

 Since the fuel oil spill, 688 cetacean deaths have been recorded along the coast of the Krasnodar Territory, the Delfa Center reported today. "Compared to previous years, this number is approaching the maximum, but does not exceed it. Of course, not all of these dolphins could have died as a result of the fuel oil spill. There are other anthropogenic causes, such as fishing and accidental bycatch in nets, dolphin diseases resulting from marine pollution from industrial, agricultural, and sewage waste, and natural mortality," the center noted.

"Nevertheless, according to our statistics, we could see a significant spike in fatalities in the first month after the disaster, an expected increase in the number of cetacean deaths during the stranding season, and an increased number in late October and November. The impact of such a large-scale oil spill on the health of cetacean populations remains to be seen. According to scientific papers, delayed effects could be felt for several more years – an increase in various diseases, outbreaks of epizootics, and a decrease in the birth rate due to the accumulation of toxins in the body," the statement reads.