From October 24 to November 13, 2024, specialists of the Zhaiyk-Caspian interregional Basin Fisheries Inspection found 1,034 seal carcasses washed up on the coast of the Caspian Sea in the Tupkaragan district of the Mangystau region.
During monitoring and collaboration with scientific organizations such as the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology, the Center for the Study and Rehabilitation of Seals and the Scientific Research Center of the Research Institute of Microbiology and Virology, a partial selection of tissues of dead animals was carried out for further research.
The Fisheries Committee suggests that the cause could be natural phenomena, including emissions of natural gases due to underwater earthquakes. Final conclusions on the causes of death of seals will be received after the completion of laboratory studies, which, according to scientific organizations, will take 3-4 months.
The Fish Inspectorate continues to constantly monitor the waters of the territorial waters to identify the factors of death of seals.
The staff of the Veterinary Control and Supervision Committee also took samples of pathological material, which are currently undergoing research for the presence of infectious diseases at the National Veterinary Reference Center in Astana. As of November 13, 2024, all samples examined by PCR for pasteurellosis, avian influenza, carnivorous plague, salmonellosis and listeriosis showed negative results.
Monitoring of the Caspian Sea coast continues.
It is worth noting that cases of mass deaths of seals in the Caspian Sea have been recorded since the early 2000s. In particular, in 2000, about 10,000 dead individuals were identified, and chronic toxicosis was named as the cause of their death.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/moa/press/news/details/883389