Tengrinews.kz – On April 29, employees of the Zhaiyk-Caspian Interregional Basin Fisheries Inspection discovered 88 seal carcasses washed ashore in the Tupkaragan district of the Mangystau region, during a monitoring of the Caspian Sea coastline.
Representatives from the inspection, the local akimat, and the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology were dispatched to the site.
According to Kazhydromet, prevailing westerly winds in the coastal waters recently pushed the dead seals onto the shore.
The Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology reported that the carcasses were in an advanced stage of decomposition, making it impossible to collect quality samples for further laboratory tests, including toxicological and pathological analyses.
Photo of the Fisheries Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan
“At this time, determining the exact cause of death is difficult due to the significant time—2 to 3 weeks—that has likely passed since the animals died,” the Fisheries Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan stated.
The seal carcasses were transported to a landfill for disposal.
“Monitoring of the Caspian Sea coastline is ongoing, and the situation regarding the seal deaths remains under the Committee’s control,” the agency added.
It was also noted that the death of these red-listed (endangered) animals was officially registered by the police department of Tupkaragan district, Mangystau region.