DEATH TOLL OF CASPIAN SEALS RISES TO 300 ALONG KAZAKHSTAN'S MANGISTAU COASTLINE

MANGISTAU (Kazakhstan), Oct 30 (Bernama-Kazinform) -- The number of dead seals discovered off the coast of the Caspian Sea in Mangistau region, Kazakhstan, has risen to around 300 from the initial count of over 150.

According to the Kazinform News Agency, 289 carcasses of Caspian seals were found from Oct 24 to 29 following monitoring conducted by the Zhaiyk-Caspian interregional basin inspectorate in fishery together with the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology employees. 

The monitoring continues, acting head of the Mangistau regional fishery inspectorate, Andrei Rudskiy, said.

The cause of the deaths would be revealed after laboratory tests, he said. 

Earlier, it was reported that over 150 seal carcasses were found along the Caspian coastline in Mangistau region as a result of the western storm winds on Oct 23.

Previously, it was reported that 40 carcasses of Caspian seals were found washed up on the shore of the Caspian Sea in Mangistau region in March and almost 80 in April this year.

Ecologist Adilbek Kozybakov has voiced concern over the mass death of the Caspian seals, attributing it to the lack of real control.

For the record, the country added the Caspian seals to its book of endangered species in 2020.

-- BERNAMA-KAZINFORM