Published on: 2026-11-05
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation – Фонд Заповедное посольство –
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An ambulance that allows providing assistance to all types of Black Sea dolphins, including large bottlenose individuals, will begin operating on the coast of the Black Sea. The specialized “emergency service” for marine mammals will be handed over to the Dolphin Rescue Center “Delfa” as part of the “Living Black Sea” project, implemented by the “Protected Embassy” foundation with the support of JTI Russia.
On the Black Sea coast, seasons of cetacean strandings are regularly recorded: dolphins end up in shallow waters in severe, critical condition. Without timely assistance, the mortality rate of the animals reaches 100%. To save them, specialists must be dispatched immediately with a full set of equipment, medications, and gear. Often, the injured animal needs to be transported to a specialized facility or to a more suitable section of the coast for assistance.
The new ambulance is equipped with modern equipment for emergency aid to marine mammals: a large transport bath with a seawater supply system, an ultrasound device for on-site diagnostics, a PCR amplifier for rapid infection analysis, a refrigerator for storing biological samples, as well as expendable materials and medications. The cargo compartment, 3.5 meters long, will accommodate stretchers with large specimens.
“Supporting biodiversity, including the preservation of rare species, is an important part of the company’s environmental initiatives. Caring for marine mammals is one of the key tracks of the ‘Living Black Sea’ project, so when developing the ’emergency assistance’ we first carefully studied the wishes of the ‘Delphy’ team, relying on their extensive experience in rescue operations. This helped to take into account the specifics of working on the coast and develop a real mobile veterinary unit that will meet the real needs of specialists and help them respond more quickly to assist marine mammals,” says Ekaterina Levshina, head of social investment programs at JTI Russia.
The “Delphy” team already has an equipped rescue vehicle—the “Delphymobile.” It is based in Sirius, but specialists travel along the entire coast in it. However, the distances between key points are vast, and the roads are often difficult to pass: it is not always possible to quickly get from Sochi to the Gelendzhik district, let alone to Anapa. In addition, the existing vehicle has technical limitations: the cargo compartment volume is not suitable for transporting large adult bottlenose dolphins, and its off-road capability does not allow reaching hard-to-access coastal areas.
The new ambulance fundamentally differs: all-wheel drive, a spacious van over three meters long, and an automatic transmission make it simultaneously roomy, maneuverable, and easy to drive. This will allow the team to respond faster to remote and hard-to-reach areas, operate in challenging road conditions, and transport even large animals.
The introduction of a resuscitation vehicle will significantly improve the efficiency of responding to incidents of marine mammal strandings and injuries in the Anapa district, Gelendzhik, and along the Azov Sea coast, where there was previously no permanently available specialized equipment capable of providing diagnosis, stabilization, and transportation of large cetaceans.
“The ‘ambulance’ for marine mammals must be truly fast. The emergency vehicle will appear by the beginning of the season of mass dolphin strandings on the coast — this is precisely the period when the highest number of animals needing help is recorded. The arrival of specialized equipment significantly increases the chances of saving injured cetaceans. Situations often arise where the animal can be saved, but due to adverse conditions — for example, a strong storm — on-site assistance is impossible. In such cases, transportation of the dolphin to a safe place or to a specialized rehabilitation facility (one recently opened in Anapa) is necessary. Special attention in the development of the emergency vehicle was paid to equipment allowing primary diagnosis and stabilization of the animal’s condition directly during transportation,” says Polina Grigoryeva, eco-project manager at the Zapovednoe Posolstvo Foundation, project leader of “Living Black Sea.”
Three species of cetaceans inhabit the Black Sea, and all of them are listed in the Red Book: the common bottlenose dolphin, the harbour porpoise, and the Azov dolphin (Black Sea harbour porpoise). The Black Sea populations of these species are endemic to the sea and are not found anywhere else in the world. The harbour porpoise is the most numerous of the three species, but its population is also declining. The Azov dolphin is the smallest and most vulnerable; it is more often caught in fishing nets and more severely affected by infectious diseases. Populations of all three species are in a depressed state. The main factors are death in nets, reduction of the food base due to intensive fishing, sea pollution, and intense acoustic impacts. Accumulation of toxins and chronic stress reduce immunity, making the cetacean’s body susceptible to infections and diseases.
“The new ambulance has all-wheel drive and a spacious van, it can even fit a large adult bottlenose dolphin, and the transport tank (since dolphins need to be transported in seawater) is large, comfortable, and modern. The arrival of such a unique ambulance will allow us to help dolphins more effectively and quickly,” commented Tatyana Beley, head of the ‘Delfa’ Center.
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