In 2005, creating the Shah-Dili National Park was a mistake: it replaced a reserve that protected seals and gulls

One of the highlights of the recently concluded COP29 was a demonstration by marine mammal conservationists, who showcased a life-sized replica of a whale on Baku Boulevard. Participants sprayed the replica with water hoses, drawing attention to the UN conference on the critical issue of whale hunting.

Although no whales inhabit the Caspian Sea, it is home to the Caspian seal (Phoca caspica), listed in the global Red Book of endangered species. Azerbaijani residents often see their bodies washed ashore after storms. According to Azerbaijani zoologist Tariel Eybatov, director of the Natural History Museum, the Caspian Sea washes up about 2,000 seal carcasses annually on Azerbaijan's northern shores. The situation is reportedly worse in the Russian and Kazakh sectors, where seal mortality rates are even higher. A recent ecological disaster underscored the urgency of the issue: from October 24 to November 13, 2024, Kazakhstan's Mangystau region reported 1,034 dead seals found along the Caspian coastline. Experts speculate that the deaths may have been caused by natural phenomena, including gas emissions from underwater earthquakes.

Tariel Eybatov recently attended the "Caspian Seal: Indicator of the Caspian Ecosystem's Health" conference in Makhachkala, organized by Russia's Caspian Institute of Biological Resources. Eybatov shared his insights with Turan news agency.

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Turan: Vacationers along the Caspian coast often report seeing seal carcasses washed ashore after storms. How significant is this phenomenon for the seal population? What is the reproductive trend of these animals?

Tariel Eybatov: In 2024, we conducted a monitoring study of Caspian seals in Azerbaijan's sector of the Caspian Sea. Round-the-clock observations were carried out visually using powerful binoculars and night-vision devices. Sighted seals were documented with photos and videos. The first seals were observed in the northern Azerbaijani Caspian waters near Yalama on March 28, marking their typical spring migration.

On April 12, seals were sighted around the islands of the Apsheron Archipelago—such as Bolshaya Plita, Malaya Plita, and Koltush—via helicopters and reports from fishermen. From February 19 to July 7, we monitored the central part of Azerbaijan's Caspian sector, extending to the border with Turkmenistan. No seals were observed in January, February, or early March; the first sightings in these areas occurred on April 18. In total, 302 seals were recorded during the ship-based monitoring period: 78 in April, 65 in May, and 159 in June, with a maximum daily count of 25 individuals.

Seals typically move alone or in small groups of 2-3 individuals. During the entire observation period, we did not find any floating carcasses. On average, one seal was recorded for every 5–6 square kilometers.

Annual aerial surveys in the northern Caspian indicate a population of at least 200,000 seals, with approximately 60,000 pups born each year. However, juvenile mortality rates and the number of seals in the post-reproductive phase remain unknown. Our study confirmed a distribution density of about one seal per 5–6 square kilometers in the spring, summer, and autumn of 2024. This suggests a gradual population recovery and stabilization.

Key factors contributing to this improvement include a reduction in pesticide usage and a significant decline—by 15 times—of the invasive Mnemiopsis leidyi comb jelly, thanks to the introduction of the predatory comb jelly Beroe ovata in 2020. Additionally, the populations of seals' main prey species, such as anchovies and gobies, have increased due to reduced fishing pressures on these species.

A sharp decline in illegal coastal fishing in Azerbaijan's waters has also reduced the number of seal carcasses found in fishing nets, particularly those of freshly deceased seals.

Turan: Why is the seal population situation more alarming in the Caspian sectors belonging to other countries?

Tariel Eybatov: Seals are protected in all Caspian countries, and their hunting is entirely prohibited. Nevertheless, illegal seal hunting persists in Dagestan. The reasons behind the increase in seal carcasses in Russia’s coastal waters are not fully understood, but the number of seal deaths there reached 10,000 in 2022.

Over the past 30 years, the Caspian Sea's water level has dropped by 2.5 meters, resulting in the loss of about one-third of the northern Caspian’s surface area, including key feeding and breeding grounds. Climate change has further worsened conditions, especially in the northern Caspian, where ice quality has deteriorated. Ice formation is essential for seal reproduction and molting, and the lack of stable ice has led to overcrowding and crushing on the remaining ice platforms, causing juvenile mortality.

If temperatures continue to rise, seals may no longer be able to reproduce on ice, forcing them to adapt to land-based breeding. This behavior has already been observed; for example, in the late 20th century, seals bred intensively on Ogurchaly Island in Turkmenistan and in small numbers on Azerbaijan’s Shakhova Spit.

Turan: What urgent measures are needed to save seals across the Caspian?

Tariel Eybatov: Paleontological studies have shown that this species has existed for 1–1.5 million years, dating back to the Apsheron Pleistocene deposits. Fossil remains have been found in Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, and even Georgia. Archaeological evidence indicates that Neanderthals in modern-day Iran and Cro-Magnons in Gobustan consumed seals as food from the Holocene to the present.

Until the late 20th century, seals were extensively hunted for economic purposes. In some years, the number of seals killed exceeded 200,000, causing the population to plummet from 1 million in 1989 to just 100,000–150,000 by 2000. Anthropogenic factors led to the near-total loss of breeding grounds in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan during the 20th century.

Recent improvements have been observed due to falling water levels in the Caspian, which have created new islands and expanded existing ones, offering potential new habitats for seals. Based on these developments, the Apsheron Archipelago islands should be declared strictly protected sanctuaries, which would restore lost breeding grounds.

In 2005, creating the Shah-Dili National Park was a mistake; it replaced a reserve that protected seals and gulls. Now, neither seals nor gulls remain there. One of the most effective measures to protect seals is to ban human activity in their habitats. Unfortunately, these areas are now crowded with visitors, vehicles, and tourists. It is crucial to restore strict control over these zones and prohibit human access. Additionally, shipping near islands where seals molt and recuperate must be restricted.

Plans are underway to establish a seal rehabilitation center and educational facility on the Apsheron Peninsula. The center will include a lecture hall to educate youth, fishermen, and coastal communities about seal conservation.

Broader Environmental Concerns

Russian scientists point to underwater gas emissions during earthquakes as a significant cause of seal mortality, forming toxic air pockets that suffocate the animals. Additionally, the Morbillivirus epidemic (canine distemper virus) has devastated seal populations, causing severe organ damage. Agricultural pollutants, including hexachloran, further weaken seal immunity. These toxins accumulate in seal fat, which is critical for survival during their northern migration but also contributes to infertility and reduced reproductive success.

Seals also face intentional killings by poachers in Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, where the entire animal is utilized. In Azerbaijan, seals are rarely hunted but are sometimes killed due to misconceptions about their aggression toward swimmers.

The Caspian seal, the sea's only mammal, has been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2008. In the early 20th century, their population exceeded 1.2 million, but industrial development and overexploitation halved this number by the 1970s. Today, addressing habitat loss, poaching, and pollution is critical to ensuring the survival of this iconic species.