A viral epidemic decimated dolphins in the Mediterranean

In the early 1990s, a Morbillivirus epidemic caused massive mortality among odontocetes in the Mediterranean, particularly affecting striped dolphins. This excess mortality stems from a weakening of organisms linked to chemical pollution, unfavorable climatic conditions, and a decrease in food resources. Other viruses and bacteria can also be transmitted between cetaceans and humans, which motivates the recommendation to never touch these wild animals.