Dead Seals Found Near Aktau May Have Come From Iran, Officials Say

Dead seals continue to be found on the Caspian coast near Aktau, but Fisheries Committee chair Serik Sermagambetov says they may not have died in Kazakhstan, Orda.kz reports.

According to him, seals can die in different parts of the Caspian Sea, including near Azerbaijan and Iran. Western storm winds can then carry the carcasses toward Aktau.

This is not happening only on our territory, but across the Caspian Sea. It can happen near Azerbaijan or Iran, and western storm winds carry them toward Aktau. On this issue, we have adopted an algorithm for cooperation with local executive bodies and public organizations to collect carcasses and preserve the Caspian seal,Sermagambetov said at a briefing at the Central Communications Service.

He added that a state nature reserve has been established in Aktau. In 2025, shipping was restricted there in winter, while fishing areas were adjusted and moved away from Caspian seal migration routes.

According to Sermagambetov, 230 dead seals have been found this year.

According to research, this is linked to asphyxia, underwater earthquakes and gas emissions. That is why seals die from suffocation,the committee chair said.

He stressed that such cases are recorded every year, but 2024 was the most difficult. Around 2000 seal carcasses were found that year.

Original author: Ilya Astakhov

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