A massive number of dead Caspian seals—484 individuals—have been discovered on the Caspian Sea coast in Dagestan. According to the regional Ministry of Natural Resources, the animals' bodies were found on the beaches of Makhachkala and in coastal areas.

Experts suspect that the deaths were caused by a natural gas release from the seabed, triggered by increased seismic activity.

As a reminder, in December 2024, specialists from the Dagestan Ministry of Natural Resources also discovered a large number of dead seals on the Caspian Sea coast. Experts concluded that underwater earthquakes and gas emissions along their migration routes were likely the cause of the animals' deaths.

In 2022, 2,500 carcasses of rare seals washed up. Initially, a methane release into the sea was blamed for the seals' deaths. Then, a theory emerged that avian influenza may have caused the mass death of the seals.