Tengrinews.kz - Almost 2,000 dead seals have been discovered along the Caspian Sea coastline, according to Lada.kz.
According to the Zhaiyk-Caspian Interregional Basin Fisheries Inspectorate, 1,155 seal carcasses were found on the shores of the Tupkaragan district in the Mangystau region between October 24 and November 18.
"On November 18, a survey of the coastal areas of the Mangystau region, including Kulaly, Morskoy, Podgorny, and Novy islands, as well as the Karazhanbas and Kalamkas areas, revealed an additional 834 carcasses. Visual inspection showed that the bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition, making it impossible to collect pathological samples. In total, 1,989 seal carcasses were found between October 24 and November 18, 2024," the inspection reported.
Earlier, the Fisheries Committee suggested that natural phenomena, such as underwater earthquakes and the release of natural gases, might have caused the deaths. However, definitive conclusions are expected after laboratory studies, which, according to scientific organizations, may take three to four months.
The Committee for Veterinary Control and Supervision, conducting studies at the National Veterinary Reference Center in Astana, ruled out several infectious diseases, including pasteurellosis, canine distemper, salmonellosis, listeriosis, and avian influenza.
Meanwhile, Assel Baimukanova, a specialist from the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology, suggested that marine pollution could be a likely cause of the mass deaths.
Mass seal die-offs in the Caspian Sea have been documented since the early 2000s. Official records show that around 10,000 seals died 24 years ago, with chronic toxicosis identified as the cause.
Alongside the seals, cormorants are also dying, entangled in fishing nets set illegally to catch sturgeon.
