Author: Dana Nurmukhanbet
Mentor: Kalima Tazhikul
Residents of the Mangystau region may face a water shortage, as the Caspian Sea is in severe distress. Scientists warn that if no preventive measures are taken, Kazakhstan’s part of the sea may turn into a desert by the end of the 21st century. As the vast inland sea — shared by five countries —continues to shrink, a major environmental catastrophe looms, threatening both ecosystems and local economies. The falling water level is already impacting unique ecosystems and migratory birds, including the Caspian seal, which raises its pups on the northern sea ice. Drying up of the shallow northern basin could lead to the extinction of the seal population. Between 24 October and 18 November 2024, 1,155 dead seals were found along the Caspian coast in the Tupkaragan district of Mangystau. If this trend continues, both the sea and its marine life could disappear entirely. What can be done to prevent this?
*The original article is written in Kazakh
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