New Island Emerges as Caspian Sea Levels Continue to Fall

A new island has emerged in the northern Caspian Sea as water levels continue to fall, Orda.kz reports, citing Lada.kz.

The island, known as Rybachiy, lies about 30 kilometers from the village of Bautino and 500 meters east of Svyatoy Island.

Local entrepreneur Erbolat Mukhashov said wolves, wild boars, badgers and numerous bird species inhabit the surrounding islands. New areas of land have also emerged near several neighboring islands, some of which are breeding grounds for Caspian seals.

Water levels are falling across all five countries bordering the Caspian Sea: Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev warned in 2025 that the decline could cause an environmental disaster across the region.

Footage from the Caspian coast has shown the shoreline retreating year after year. Experts warn that the decline could accelerate over the next decade.

In February, Kazakhstan allocated 1.1 billion tenge to study and preserve the Caspian Sea.

Original author: Alina Kostina

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