Dead Caspian Seals Wash Ashore in Russia's Dagestan

More than 320 dead Caspian seals have been discovered along the coastline between the Sulak and Terek Rivers in Dagestan, Russia.

Authorities warn that the number may rise as inspections continue, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

The Dagestan Ministry of Natural Resources said specialists have begun an on-site survey of the affected areas. Caspian seal deaths are relatively common during the species’ annual migration, with scientists linking many deaths to suffocation from natural gas emissions seeping from the seabed in seismic zones.

The Caspian seal, the only mammal native to the Caspian Sea, is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Russia adopted a preservation program in 2015, and the species is included in the Red Data Book. Earlier this year, Kazakhstan reported a mass die-off in Mangistau caused by weakened immune systems among the seals.