A group of porpoises trapped by ice in the Sea of Azov in Crimea

In Crimea, near the coast of the Sea of Azov, near the village of Kamenskoye, residents discovered a group of cetaceans trapped by ice. Porpoises or Azovians were trapped in shallow water.

Huge blocks of thick ice prevented them from sailing away from the shore. Marine mammals could have been there for more than one day, writes IA SevastopolMedia with reference to the Center for the Study, Rescue and Rehabilitation of Marine Mammals "Serene Sea".

The organization said that at the time of the discovery, one of the Azov women was no longer showing signs of life. Another Azovka woman and a cub were still alive. Specialists from Sevastopol arrived to help the animals. They kept in touch with the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources in order to organize further assistance to the two surviving individuals.

However, the exhausted animals soon died. Hypothermia and severe stress were most likely fatal for them. No other mammals were found nearby, but a waterfowl died.

According to experts, cases of porpoises falling into ice traps in the Sea of Azov have already been recorded. This may be a significant factor in their seasonal mortality. However, it has not been studied enough yet, the agency notes.

Earlier, on February 19, it was reported that as part of Rosneft's environmental program, aimed, among other things, at studying and protecting marine animals, scientists examined almost 400 gray whales in the Sea of Okhotsk. This was reported in the press service of the oil company on the occasion of the World Day for the Protection of Marine Mammals. It is also noted that experts have recorded an annual increase in the Okhotsk population of gray whales, which is one of the smallest and most vulnerable, at about 5%.

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