Tourists were left in shock when they witnessed something unusual emerging from the sea. On the Romanian coast, visitors were surprised to see a wounded dolphin being washed ashore by the waves.

In an attempt to save the animal, the dolphin was pulled from the water, but unfortunately, it had no chance of survival. Experts identified the dolphin as belonging to the Delphinus Delphis species, commonly known as the common dolphin.

Upon inspection, multiple wounds were found on the dolphin’s body, most likely caused by fishermen’s nets.

In the Black Sea, three species of marine mammals are commonly found:

• Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis ponticus)
• Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus ponticus)
• Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena relicta)

These Black Sea dolphins vary in both their physical characteristics and their primary food sources. The bottlenose dolphin and harbor porpoise primarily feed on fish and other benthic organisms, while the common dolphin primarily eats fish and other organisms found in the water column.

The species also show preferences for different habitats. The bottlenose dolphin and harbor porpoise are mostly found in coastal areas, whereas the common dolphin is typically seen in offshore zones.

The common dolphin has a bluish-gray to brown coloration on its dorsal side, with a light V-shaped marking along its sides. A pigmented band connects the lower jaw to the pectoral fins. Its dorsal, pectoral, and tail fins are black to gray-brown.

At birth, common dolphins are around 0.8–0.95 meters long. In the Black Sea, they typically do not exceed 2 meters in length (males – 177 cm, females – 159 cm). These dolphins are highly sensitive to chemical and acoustic pollution. They tend to live in groups of 10–15 individuals but can also be found in pairs or alone. They are fast swimmers, capable of reaching speeds of around 50 km/h. They perform short dives and breathe at the surface with intervals of about 1/3 of a second. Their habitats can range up to depths of 70 meters.

Common dolphins reach sexual maturity by the age of 2, with a gestation period of 10 months. They wean their calves at 4 months, and they have strong maternal instincts. Their lifespan is typically around 25–30 years. These dolphins mainly feed on small pelagic fish like sprat, anchovy, and gobies, but they also eat other species, including horse mackerel, cod, bluefish, red mullet, sea bass, shrimp, and mollusks. On average, they consume about 10 kg of food daily.