Seals seen on a Russian beach. Photo: Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
At least 2,500 dead seals have been found along Russia's Caspian Sea coastline in the province of Dagestan, officials said on Sunday.
Driving the news: The Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of Dagestan said in a Telegram post that officials continue to count the number of dead seals, but it is still unclear how they died.
What they're saying: "Unfortunately, the figure has grown significantly and currently stands at 2,500," officials said, according to the translated post.
- "Bodies are found at different locations" with a "large number" showing up in the Yuzbash area and "between the Sulak and Shurinka rivers."
Details: Initial reports on Saturday estimated around 700 deceased seals were found, but upon broader inspection on Sunday, the number jumped up to 1,700, per AP.
- The Caspian Environmental Protection Center said the seals likely died a couple of weeks ago and showed no sign they were killed by poachers, per AP.
- The Federal Fisheries Agency didn’t immediately spot any pollutants, per AP.
What's next: The ministry said it will investigate the cause of the deaths through lab testing.