July 23: World Whale and Dolphin Day

On July 23, we celebrate World Whale and Dolphin Day – a day dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of these marine mammals and the many threats they face.

Dolphins – among the most intelligent creatures on the planet – are not only a symbol of freedom, but also an indicator of the state of the marine ecosystem.

The Black Sea is home to three species of cetaceans, including the common dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin and the Black Sea harbour porpoise dolphin, all listed as endangered or vulnerable by the IUCN. Unfortunately, the number of dead dolphins found along the Bulgarian coast remains alarming.

Let’s use this day to learn more and protect these incredible creatures – for a cleaner, richer and more vibrant Black Sea!

Dolphins are highly social animals that live in groups and use a complex system of sounds for communication and echolocation. They play an important role in the marine ecosystem by regulating populations of fish and other marine organisms. However, they face a number of serious threats:

• Entanglement in fishing nets, which often kills them;

• Pollution with plastic and chemicals, which can harm their health;

• Underwater noise from shipping and industrial activities, which interferes with their ability to navigate and communicate;

• Climate change, which affects the distribution of their food and alters their habitats.

There is still no marine mammal rescue center in Bulgaria, but scientists and conservationists from organizations such as Green Balkans and the Institute of Oceanology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are working hard to research, monitor, and protect these unique species. They organize regular sea expeditions, educational campaigns, and efforts to collect and analyze data on stranded animals.

Each of us can contribute – by raising awareness, participating in volunteer initiatives or simply by being responsible towards the sea.

Let’s use this day to learn more and protect these amazing creatures – for a cleaner, richer and more vibrant Black Sea!

Our partners from Green Balkans, with whom we have a memorandum of cooperation as part of our work on EOL & SturNet projects under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin program, are working on long-term initiatives for the conservation of dolphins in the Black Sea - Dolphins (cetaceans) - About dolphins - Dolphins - Green Balakans