The unexplained deaths of scores of Caspian seals in Kazakhstan's Manghystau region has raised alarm bells among local authorities and scientists.
As of October 29, 289 seal carcasses had been found along the coastline over the previous five days, prompting urgent monitoring efforts by the Interregional Fishery Inspection of the Ural-Caspian Basin and experts from the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology.
Seal researcher Asel Baimuqanova said some of the dead seals showed signs of trauma.
Although the exact cause of death remains unclear, Baimuqanova noted that several seals were pregnant, adding urgency to the investigation.
Caspian seals are the only marine mammals in the Caspian Sea, the world's largest inland body of water. Once numbering over a million in the early 20th century, their population has now dwindled to an estimated 70,000 due to overhunting and pollution.
Since late September, dedicated scientific teams have conducted daily inspections along the Tupqaraghan Peninsula’s western coast to investigate the unexplained surge in mortality rates.
The discovery of the dead seals follows a similar event in April, when 27 seal carcasses were found in the area, which was attributed to storm-related beaching, according to the Agriculture Ministry. Authorities suspect those seals may have died at sea before washing ashore.
The Caspian Sea, bordered by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan, is rich in oil and gas reserves.
Pollution from hydrocarbon extraction and declining water levels have been threatening both local species and the sea's ecological future, according to experts.
