More than 300 dead seals found on Caspian coast in Dagestan
To determine the exact cause of death impossible.
ASTRAKHAN, November 3. /Offset. TASS Elena Porotikova/. More than 300 dead seals found along Caspian sea coast in Dagestan. To determine the exact location and cause of death can not be reported by TASS Director of the State nature reserve “Dagestan” Kurban Kuniev who takes part in the international conference “Marine mammals of Holarctic” in Astrakhan.
“Information was received on 1 November, was immediately organized the expedition, we left the territory, were 27 km and found 317 heads of dead seals. That’s a lot. But I will stress that the seals were killed on the territory of the Republic of Dagestan, their storm wind brought to us from neighboring territories, the storm was just at the end of October,” said Koniev.
According to him, found animals that are still on the coast, — adult individuals, external damage they have. Now to determine the exact cause of their death is impossible, since the animals were killed two weeks ago.See also
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“Presumably, the reason could be a disease because such a large number of seals cannot die from illegal fishing… And more recently in the Caspian sea military exercises conducted, producing explosions. The seals could damage the ear membrane, it could be hemorrhage, because of this, they could be dead too. But this is speculation, just to say nobody can,” added Koniev.
According to the interlocutor, the last time a similar incident occurred in 2011. Then the cause of death of the seals was not installed.
Rehabilitation center for Caspian seals
In the framework of the international conference “Marine mammals of the Holarctic (the region covering in the floral and faunal zoning of most of the Northern hemisphere — ed. TASS)” in Astrakhan, the scientists discussed how to keep the population of Caspian seals. One of the proposals is to create in Russia the rehabilitation center for these mammals.
As told TASS researcher, Institute of problems of ecology and evolution them. Severtsova RAS Dmitry Glazov, a center for the seals can be created in Dagestan, there is now selected the area of the Caspian coast. In the center of the animal will provide medical care to nurse them and then release back into the sea. To implement the project, the researchers plan for about two years, at the expense of extrabudgetary funds. The creation of such a center, according to Glazov, has already received support from the Ministry of natural resources and environment and the Dagestan reserve.
“For our fishermen this is true, it is easier to kill an animal because the seal bites out of the network it is difficult. And if there was a team of people, learning how to get it, then the issue would be resolved. Especially because, for example, in Iran there is a rehabilitation centre for Caspian seals. Their experience is positive, and they are ready to share them with us,” said Glazov.
The Caspian seal — the only mammal inhabiting the Caspian sea, was in the Guinness Book of records as the smallest of the existing 32.
According to the reports of scientists, the number of Caspian seals in recent years has declined sharply and is about 100 thousand individuals.
In the international conference “Marine mammals of Holarctic” was attended by over 200 scientists from different countries. The experts also consider the conservation of whales, dolphins, pinnipeds and raptors. The conference will end on 5 November.