'This has happened before': possible cause of seal deaths in the Caspian Sea named

Tengrinews.kz reports on the ongoing investigation into the disturbing mass deaths of seals and swans along Kazakhstan's Caspian Sea coast. While laboratory tests are underway, officials from the agriculture and ecology ministries have offered preliminary explanations, leaning towards natural phenomena as the likely cause.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Amangali Berdalin pointed to historical precedents, suggesting that natural gas emissions, potentially linked to seismic activity, could be responsible. He emphasized that such events have occurred before, and previous investigations have not identified any diseases. The carcasses are often found in a decomposed state due to wave action, complicating sample collection and analysis.

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This is not the first time we have had such cases. It is connected with natural phenomena, including natural gas emissions that can occur during earthquakes. But, as usual, we find these carcasses already in a decomposed state because waves wash them ashore. We take the necessary samples and study them, but no matter how many times we have done this, no diseases have been found.

Adding to the official response, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Nurken Sharbiyev confirmed that water samples collected from the affected areas show no excess of permissible pollutant levels. This suggests that industrial or chemical pollution is unlikely to be the primary driver of the die-off.

The incident has drawn attention to the broader environmental challenges facing the Caspian Sea. Previous reports highlighted concerns about the sea's shallowing, attributed to climate change, increased evaporation, reduced water inflow, and human economic activities. The current seal deaths serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of this unique ecosystem and the need for continued monitoring and research.

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As for the water samples taken, no exceedance of the maximum permissible concentration was found.