5 thousand birds died in Odesa region after enemy attack

The sea in Odesa region continues to throw dead birds ashore after a racist drone attack that caused a large-scale leak of sunflower oil. Environmentalists estimate that about 5,000 birds have died as a result of the accident, and the consequences for the region's biodiversity remain critical.

This was reported by Ivan Rusev, a researcher at the Tuzly Estuaries National Park.

The leakage of sunflower oil after a drone attack by Russian troops caused a large-scale environmental disaster in the Black Sea. The oil killed fish, shellfish, and waterfowl, and the consequences for biodiversity were significant and long-lasting.

According to him, even now, far from the accident site, the sea continues to throw bird bodies onto the coast, particularly in the Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park. After the powerful storms of recent weeks, an average of seven birds per kilometer of coastline washed ashore every week. The ecologist also noted that it is important to take into account that the sea and predators quickly destroy traces of such releases.

He said that among the corpses found were great and black-necked ducks, coots, red-necked loons, mallards, swans, cormorants, and other species. Estimating the number of birds picked up alive for rehabilitation in Odesa (only a small percentage survive), as well as field observations in the national park, experts suggest that the oil leak into the Gulf of Odesa has killed about 5,000 birds.

Environmentalists warn that the consequences of the accident remain urgent and call for increased monitoring and measures to protect marine life.

Ivan Rusev also said that vegetable oil and dead birds were also found on 28 kilometers of sandy spoil in the National Park. The distance of the emissions from the accident site is about 150 kilometers, and this indicates a wider scale and nature of the pollution. During the survey, birds belonging to five species were found on the seashore.

As a result of the Russian army's strike on Odesa region, a fire broke out in the Pivdennyi port, setting about 30 containers of flour and vegetable oil on fire.

Анна Бальчінос