Mass swan deaths recorded near Aktau

Tengrinews.kz — A mass die-off of swans has been recorded near Aktau, in the village of Saina Shapagatova, citing Lada.kz.

The dead birds were discovered on the Caspian coast by film director Kanat Mailybayev. He said he had come to visit a friend and decided to take a walk to the sea, since the house was located not far from the shore. During the walk, he came across a shocking scene.

“Perhaps God Himself sent me to witness this outrageous case. I was in shock — I had never seen so many dead birds before,” he shared.

According to the director, among the birds found were both those that had died recently and others that had already been lying on the shore for some time. At the same time, there were no people in the area and no signs that anyone had previously paid attention to what had happened.

“Most likely, no one goes there — there are no houses nearby. I didn’t meet a single living soul. Also, the area has become very shallow, and perhaps that is why people do not come there,” Mailybayev noted.

He also added that he did not walk farther along the shore, but even from a distance he noticed an even greater number of dead swans.

“This should raise alarm. It is completely unacceptable — every year we are seeing a sharp decline in the numbers of seals, swans, and other birds,” he said.

The situation regarding the dead swans found on the coast was commented on by the regional territorial inspection for forestry and wildlife.

According to the agency, on March 25, 11 dead swans were found along the shoreline in the village of Saina Shapagatova. All the birds were disposed of in accordance with established procedures.

At the same time, specialists stressed that no evidence of a mass bird die-off on the coast has been established.

Monitoring of the coastal territory of the Tupkaragan District and the city of Aktau is currently underway. The authorized bodies have been informed, and relevant services have organized response work.

It was also clarified that no cases of bird deaths have been recorded at Lake Karakol, located within the Karakiya-Karakol nature reserve. Additional information will be provided following the results of the ongoing inspection and monitoring.