Black Sea coast dead dolphins triple in August

Reports of dead dolphins washed out along the Bulgarian coastline of the Black Sea increased threefold during the first ten days of August, Green Balkans environmental NGO says. Signals continue to arrive and data are still inconclusive. Since the beginning of August 2015 there have been at least 32 signals for dead dolphins along the Black Sea coast. About 80 percent of them are about small specimen from the porpoise species – these are usually about 60-70 cm long meaning their age is not more than one year. In August last year there were only four reported fatalities. One explanation of an unusually high mortality among dolphins are military drills in the Black Sea. Seismic research is also known for its negative impact on sea fauna. Suspicions have appeared on social networks and in online media that oil prospecting might have caused so many dolphin deaths. In official reports though, the Bulgarian side has not been involved in oil prospecting this year.

Free green taxi cab in Sofia streets

The first fully electric taxi cab in Bulgaria is already moving about Sofia streets. It is unique also because it gives free rides. In a pilot project, a taxi company is testing the capacity of the fully electric model Kia Soul EV to become a regular cab. So far, the cab is charged at a free electric charging station accessible to all. So, the taxi cab can afford free rides. The taxi company CEO Kalin Kokosharov says that electric taxi cabs do have a future given that they are both nature-friendly and more profitable for drivers.

Lovers of wild campsites now with access to basic amenities

From the next summer season forestry farms will provide for basic amenities for camping in the wild in state forests across the territory of the country, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food has vowed. From next year forestry farms will be obliged to provide chemical toilets, marked hearths, parking places and waste bins. In return tourists will pay a fee of 2.5 euro and will be obliged to register. This mostly regards tourists who go camping in state forests near Bulgarian Black Sea beaches, dams and other places. The Ministry explained that what mattered was not profit but rather the promotion of order and safety in forests.

Jellyfish invasion on Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast

With the breeding period for jellyfish now on, experts note that this year their number on the seashore is larger than usual. And the jellyfish number is even larger deep in the sea as experienced swimmers report coming across them more often. In the late afternoon, when the east breeze begins to blow, the transparent creatures go ashore. Observers say that in August currents change their direction thus bringing thousands of jellyfish from deeper waters to the shore. Such invasions, however in the Mediterranean coastal waters, have caused inconvenience for holidaymakers in the resorts of Greece, Turkey, France and Italy. It is assumed that among the reasons are the high temperatures and warmer sea waters.