Legends, myths, scientific articles, fantastic
stories about the life of dolphins cannot be
compared to objective reality - direct
communication and observation of them.
Despite the decades of research dolphins remain
a mystery to scientists.
Marine mammals, especially dolphins, have always attracted the attention of scientists. Their ability to inhabit aquatic environment under various hydrochemical and climatic conditions shows their high adaptability, which distinguishes them from terrestrial animals. The origin of dolphins remains a mystery, although there are paleontological facts indicating that stepwise evolutionary process lasted approximately 25 million years
«Until now, no assumption about the cetaceans origin is entirely reliable. The place of whales in cohorts and orders has not been established, since they have completely adapted to the aquatic lifestyle and represent the most peculiar and deviated type of mammals (National Pedagogical University, Kyiv, Ukraine, Khomenko B.G.)».
Studies indicate that the ancestors of cetaceans had a primary signalling system in the form of a complex of unconditioned and conditioned reflexes, as well as a collective informational interspecies field that ensured their orientation in the external environment, foraging, safety and reproduction.
Ukraine is one of the leading countries where conditions to study marine mammals have been created. Research institutions and modern facilities (dolphinaria) for marine mammals keeping enable us continue with research in the field of the Black Sea dolphins ecology, which started in 1965 when State Oceanarium was opened in Sevastopol. Great contribution to the study of marine mammals was made by the outstanding scientists Yu.A. Mikhalev, PhD (Biology), B.A. Zhurid B.A., D.Eng.Sc. and S.V. Verzhnikova.
In the course of scientific work, the distribution of dolphins in the Black Sea, their migration routes, physiological and morphological characteristics, reproduction and conditions of keeping in an enclosed hydroecological system were studied, as well as the ethology of marine mammals, which not only got theoretical justification, but the high associative and communication skills were applied practically.
In recent years, the traditions of the Research Centre “State Oceanarium” are maintained by private dolphinaria, in particular by the Cultural and Recreational Complex “Nemo”, which established the “Nemo” School and united specialists of various professions into a single scientific unit studying the adaptive characteristics of marine mammals including behavioural. The School headed by E. Komogorova has achieved certain results over the past decade in theoretical and practical training of specialists not only in marine mammals ethology, but also in their physiology, clinical diagnostics and reproduction, which made it possible to expand the knowledge about their reproductive abilities and behaviour.
Since early February 2021, in accordance with the ACCOBAMS International Convention’s recommendations, as well as with the decision of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, based on Odessa Dolphinarium and Biopark the measures are being taken to establish a wild animals’ rehabilitation centre. The S.O. "Union of Seascape Painters" plans, together with the centre, organising of the Black Sea dolphins observation points. These points will enable us register seasonal migrations of dolphins and collect data to assess the state of marine animals’ population, not only of those living in the environment, but also in artificial conditions.
Markanov Nikolay Mikhailovich, veterinary doctor.