The importance of protecting the Caspian seal

Miankale - The Vice President of Marine Environment and Wetlands of the Environmental Protection Organization, referring to the importance of protecting the Caspian seal, stated: Returning rescued seals to nature is the protection of biodiversity.

According to Mehr reporter, Ahmedreza Lahijanzadeh pointed out the importance of protecting the Caspian seal on Thursday evening and stated: Returning rescued seals to nature is part of the efforts to protect the biodiversity of the Caspian Sea, but the continuation of these measures depends on national and regional cooperation and reducing the threats that endanger the survival of this species.

Emphasizing the necessity of coordination among the coastal provinces, he added: the clarity of the responsibility of related institutions, effective communication between executive and scientific groups, and increasing the awareness of local communities can help to better implement Caspian seal protection programs.

He said: In one of these measures, a Caspian seal collar was taken to Iran's Caspian Seal Conservation Center for treatment after being caught in a fishing net and suffering physical injuries, infection and general weakness. During the treatment period, this animal was under veterinary care, and its health status and recovery process were continuously monitored.

Amir Sayad Shirazi from Iran's Caspian Seal Conservation Center said about the condition of this animal: "The seal was not in good physical condition when it entered the center, and in addition to the injuries caused by the accident, it was also facing infection and general weakness." For this reason, the treatment process continued with veterinary care, specialized nutrition and continuous health monitoring.

According to him, after about a month of care and rehabilitation, the animal's physical condition improved, and experts assessed its ability to continue living in nature and confirmed its return to its natural habitat.

Referring to the role of local cooperation in rescuing this animal, Mohammad Reza Kanani, Director General of Mazandaran Environmental Protection, stated: timely identification of the seal caught in a fishing net and the cooperation of fishermen with the environmental forces and experts of the center made it possible to transfer the animal for treatment and provide the conditions for its return to the sea.

Stating that being caught in fishing gear is one of the threats facing the Caspian seal, he emphasized the importance of quickly informing fishermen in the face of such cases and said: the cooperation of the fishing community with rescue groups can play an important role in increasing the chances of survival of this species.

Kanaani also mentioned the scientific and specialized capacities in Mazandaran and considered the establishment of the regional center for the protection of the Caspian seal in the Miankala wildlife sanctuary and the activities of the secretariat of the conservation action plan for this species at Tarbiat Modares University, Noor branch, as capacities that can be used to strengthen conservation measures.