2,500 endangered seals found dead along Caspian Sea coast in Russia

[UngulateNerd92]

About 2,500 dead Caspian seals, an endangered species that solely resides in the sea of which they got their name, have been found along Russia's border with the world's largest inland body of water. The Natural Resources Ministry in Dagestan, a department in southwestern Russia, posted about the finding on Telegram over the weekend.

The TASS news agency initially reported Saturday that about 700 dead seals were found on the coast. By Sunday, officials said 2,500 of the mammals had been found deceased.

A large number of the seals was found in the Yuzbash area, the ministry said, as well as between the mouths of the Sulak and Shurinka rivers.

https://www-cbsnews-com.cdn.ampproj...aspian-sea-seals-found-dead-russia-coast/#app

 

[Fallax]

Horrible news, this species is already endangered and a die off that big is very worrying. IUCN estimates the population at 68,000 meaning this is over 3% of the wild population. Hopefully the cause can be determined to ensure the safety of the rest of the seal population.

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Horrible news, this species is already endangered and a die off that big is very worrying. IUCN estimates the population at 68,000 meaning this is over 3% of the wild population. Hopefully the cause can be determined to ensure the safety of the rest of the seal population.

Yeah, this is horrible news! There was a mass mortality back in 1997 off the Caspian Sea coastline in Azerbaijan. Though this is only three percent of their total population, I was wondering if this incident could cause them to be up listed to Critically Endangered as opposed to Endangered. Personally, I think Caspian seals need to have captive/ex-situ assurance population established.

 

[Fallax]

Yeah, this is horrible news! There was a mass mortality back in 1997 off the Caspian Sea coastline in Azerbaijan. Though this is only three percent of their total population, I was wondering if this incident could cause them to be up listed to Critically Endangered as opposed to Endangered. Personally, I think Caspian seals need to have captive/ex-situ assurance population established.

I was surprised to see that there isn't even a captive population in Russia like there is for Baikal seal, per ZTL anyway.

 

[TinoPup]

That is truly awful, a high number of deaths for any species in one area. I hope they are able to find the cause (and fix it), but given the country we're talking about, who knows if they'll accurately share what the cause is.

 

[UngulateNerd92]

That is truly awful, a high number of deaths for any species in one area. I hope they are able to find the cause (and fix it), but given the country we're talking about, who knows if they'll accurately share what the cause is.

That is a fair concern and one that I have as well!

 

[UngulateNerd92]

I was surprised to see that there isn't even a captive population in Russia like there is for Baikal seal, per ZTL anyway.

You would think such a captive breeding program could be established... I believe that there are some Caspian seals (Pusa caspica) in captivity in Japan, but not enough to form a breeding program. I wonder when or how the founder stock of these animals was sourced. @RatioTile didn't you see some in Japanese aquaria?

I wonder if any have been kept in captivity in Iran? For some reason, I would assume so.

As far as former holders listed on Zootierliste, they include Budapest Zoo in Hungary, Moscow Zoo in Russia, and Batumi Aquarium & Dolphinarium in Georgia.

Before jumpstarting a larger captive breeding program for Caspian seal, I would think Ringed seal (Pusa hispida) could be used as an analog species. What are other people's thoughts on this?

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Here is another potentially relevant article. I wonder how helpful this habitat designation actually was...

Endangered Caspian seal habitat awarded important marine mammal area status

Special status has been awarded to the habitat of a species of seal left endangered due to human activity.

Three Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) have been designated in recognition of these areas’ importance for the survival and recovery of the threatened Caspian seal - which lives only in the land-locked Caspian Sea in Central Asia.

Listed as endangered since 2008 by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN), numbers of Caspian seals declined by more than 70% in the 20th century, primarily as a result of unsustainable hunting for their fur and blubber. Commercial hunting of the species ended in the mid 1990s, but other threats continue.

Endangered Caspian seal habitat awarded important marine mammal area status | University of Leeds

 

[RatioTile]

You would think such a captive breeding program could be established... I believe that there are some Caspian seals (Pusa caspica) in captivity in Japan, but not enough to form a breeding program. I wonder when or how the founder stock of these animals was sourced. @RatioTile didn't you see some in Japanese aquaria?

I wonder if any have been kept in captivity in Iran? For some reason, I would assume so.

As far as former holders listed on Zootierliste, they include Budapest Zoo in Hungary, Moscow Zoo in Russia, and Batumi Aquarium & Dolphinarium in Georgia.

Before jumpstarting a larger captive breeding program for Caspian seal, I would think Ringed seal (Pusa hispida) could be used as an analog species. What are other people's thoughts on this?

Actually I didn’t get to see them. The pair at Kamogawa Sea World got moved offshow due to old age and the staff denied me access. They should still be alive as of this year.

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Actually I didn’t get to see them. The pair at Kamogawa Sea World got moved offshow due to old age and the staff denied me access. They should still be alive as of this year.

Ah thank you for letting me know. For some odd reason, I thought you did. Do you know where they got them from originally?