Specialists from various departments are currently investigating the carcasses of seals found on the Caspian coast in Kazakhstan. This occurrence, though not uncommon, raises concerns as the number of dead seals is higher this year compared to previous years. The seals are believed to have died during winter due to natural causes or illness, and the melting ice in early spring brings their bodies to the shore near Fort Shevchenko.
The environmentalists are conducting thorough research, taking water and air samples, and examining the seals' bodies to determine the cause of death. Despite the challenging condition of the carcasses, efforts are being made to collect biological material for further analysis. The decline in the Caspian seal population over the past century is alarming, with numbers dropping significantly from nearly a million to barely reaching a hundred thousand individuals.
Various factors, including natural mortality and diseases like chronic toxicosis or phocine distemper, have been suggested as possible causes for the mass deaths of seals in the region. Continuous monitoring and research are crucial to understanding and addressing the threats faced by the Caspian seal population to ensure their conservation and survival in the future.
