Hundreds of seals found dead on the Caspian Sea coast could have died outside Kazakhstan, said Serik Sermagambetov, chairman of the Fisheries Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture, at a briefing at the Central Communications Service.
What causes seal deaths in the Caspian Sea
According to him, a mass seal die-off is occurring across the entire Caspian Sea, with carcasses washing ashore in all the countries bordering the sea.
“This may be happening in Azerbaijan or Iran. West storm winds carry them toward Aktau,” Sermagambetov said.
He added that specialists find dead seals in the Mangystau region every year. However, the highest number was recorded in 2024, when about 2,000 carcasses were found.
“To address this issue, we have adopted a protocol for coordinating with local executive authorities and public organizations responsible for collecting carcasses and conserving the Caspian seal,” Sermagambetov said.
In addition, Sermagambetov said that the number of Caspian seal deaths had decreased. Since the beginning of the year, specialists have found 230 carcasses. The primary cause of death is believed to be asphyxiation caused by underground earthquakes and gas emissions.
