Kazakhstan highlights importance of protecting Caspian seals
The Caspian seal is a unique species found exclusively in the Caspian Sea and nowhere else in the world, Qazinform News Agency cites Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
Caspian seals spend most of their lives in the water, traveling considerable distances in search of food. The ice fields of the northern Caspian are particularly important during winter, when females give birth to their pups.
The species, however, faces a range of threats, including marine pollution, accidental entanglement in fishing nets, and changes to its habitat.
In Kazakhstan, the Caspian seal is listed in the Red Book and protected by the state. Scientific research and monitoring are underway to assess the population and protect key habitats.
According to the ministry, conserving the Caspian seal is vital not only for the survival of the species but also for protecting the Caspian Sea ecosystem and its unique natural heritage.
In early November, the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan reported that the mass die-off of the Caspian seals in Mangistau region had been caused by a weakened immune system.
