Dozens of Caspian seals found dead on Iran’s northern coast
The deaths of dozens of Caspian seals along Iran’s northern coast have renewed concern over the fragile state of the Caspian Sea ecosystem, state media reported.
At least 54 dead seals have been found on the shores of Mazandaran Province since March, according to environmental officials quoted by Tasnim News Agency.
The Caspian seal (Pusa caspica), the sea’s only native mammal, faces growing threats from pollution, overfishing, shrinking freshwater inflows and rising water salinity.
Environmental experts said entanglement in fishing gear, motorboat strikes and disease are also contributing to the deaths.
They warned that the decline of the species -- a key predator in the marine food chain -- could disrupt the ecological balance of the world’s largest enclosed body of water.
Conservation groups have called for tighter controls on fishing, pollution reduction and regional cooperation among Caspian littoral states to protect the endangered species.
