More and more dead Caspian seals wash up on the coast in southern Russia as death toll increase from 700
Over 2,500 seals carcasses have been found washed up on the Caspian Sea coast of Russia. According to a report by the Associated Press on Sunday, November 4, after initially reporting a death toll of 700 seals, authorities in Russia have now stated that investigations revealed the number to be much higher.
Talking about the death toll in the report, Zaur Gapizov, head of the Caspian Environmental Protection Center said, “There is no evidence to suggest the animals were killed or caught in fishing nets”. He also said, the seals most likely died about two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the report states, experts have collected samples and the ministry is awaiting the results from the laboratories to establish the reason for the deaths.
The seals found dead are a species known as the Caspian seal that has been classified as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. According to recent estimates in the report by the Caspian Environmental Protection Center, only about 70,000 of this species is left. Their population has dropped from over one million, a century ago, the report said, due to pollution caused by industries and over hunting, the report said.
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