Editing Caspian seal (section)

==Threats==
{{POV section|date=January 2020}}
A century ago, their population was estimated at 1.5 million seals; in 2005, 104,000 remained, with an ongoing decline of 3–4% per year, primarily due to human influence (i.e. fisheries bycatch and habitat encroachment), outbreaks of Phocidae Distemper Virus (PDV), climate change, and pollution.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kajiwara |first1=Natsuko |last2=Watanabe |first2=Mafumi |last3=Wilson |first3=Susan |last4=Eybatov |first4=Tariel |last5=Mitrofanov |first5=Igor V. |last6=Aubrey |first6=David G. |last7=Khuraskin |first7=Lev S. |last8=Miyazaki |first8=Nobuyuki |last9=Tanabe |first9=Shinsuke |date=March 2008 |title=Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Caspian seals of unusual mortality event during 2000 and 2001 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2007.06.075 |journal=Environmental Pollution |volume=152 |issue=2 |pages=431–442 |doi=10.1016/j.envpol.2007.06.075 |pmid=17900768 |bibcode=2008EPoll.152..431K |issn=0269-7491|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=assessment>{{cite journal|last1=Dmitrieva|first1=Lilia|last2=Kondakov|first2=Andrey|last3=Oleynikov|first3=Eugeny|last4=Kydyrmanov|first4=Aidyn|last5=Karamendin|first5=Kobey|last6=Kasimbekov|first6=Yesbol|last7=Baimunkanov|first7=Mirgaliy|last8=Wilson|first8=Susan|last9=Goodman|first9=Simon|title=Assessment of Caspian Seal By-Catch in an Illegal Fishery Using an Interview-Based Approach|journal=PLOS ONE |date=2013 |volume=8 |issue=6 |page=e67074 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0067074 |pmid=23840590|pmc=3694144 |bibcode=2013PLoSO...867074D|doi-access=free}}</ref> By 2022, the [[Caspian Environmental Protection Center]] estimated the population at 70,000.<ref name=bbc>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63852395 |title=Russia: Bodies of 2,500 seals found along Caspian Sea coast |work=BBC.com |date=4 December 2022 |access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref>

In a three-week period in February 1978, [[Grey wolf|wolves]] were responsible for the killing of numerous seals near [[Astrakhan]]. An estimated 17 to 40% of the seals in the area were killed, but not eaten.<ref name="Graves">{{cite book|last1=Rumyantsev |first1=V. D. |first2=L. S. |last2=Khuraskin |year=1978 |chapter=New data on the mortality of the Caspian seal due to wolves |title=Page 187 in Congress of the All-Union Theriological Society |edition=Second |editor=Panteleev, P. A. |display-editors=etal |publisher=Nauka |location=Moscow |volume=ZR 116 |number=19 |page=5669}}</ref>

Due to increased industrial production in the area, pollution has had an effect on the survival of the Caspian seal. From 1998 to 2000, the concentration of zinc and iron increased dramatically in the tissue of dead, diseased seals. This suggests these elements are causative agents in compromising the Caspian seal's immune system.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Anan |first1=Y. |last2=Kunito |first2=T. |last3=Ikemoto |first3=T. |last4=Kubota |first4=R. |last5=Watanabe |first5=I.|last6=Tanabe|first6=S.|last7=Miyazaki|first7=N.|last8=Petrov|first8=E.A.|title=Elevated concentrations of trace elements in Caspian Seals (''Phoca caspica'') found stranded during the mass mortality events in 2000 |journal=Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology|date=2002 |volume= 42 |issue=3 |pages=354–362|doi=10.1007/s00244-001-0004-7|pmid=11910465|bibcode=2002ArECT..42..354A |s2cid=24430326}}</ref>

[[Sea eagle (bird)|Sea eagles]] are known to hunt these seals, which results in a high number of fatalities for the juveniles. They are also hunted by humans for subsistence and commerce. {{as of|2006}}, commercial icebreaker routes have passed through areas with high Caspian seal pup concentrations, which may contribute to loss of habitat.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Harkonen|first1=Tero|last2=Jüssi|first2=Mart|last3=Baimukanov|first3=Mirgaly|last4=Bignert|first4=Anders|last5=Dmitrieva|first5=Lilia|last6=Kasimbekov|first6=Yesbol|last7=Verevkin|first7=Mikhail|last8=Wilson|first8=Susan|last9=Goodman|first9=Simon J.|title=Pup Production and Breeding Distribution of the Caspian Seal (''Phoca caspica'') in Relation to Human Impacts|journal=Ambio: A Journal of the Human Environment|date=Jul 2008|volume= 37|issue= 5|pages=356–361|doi=10.1579/07-r-345.1|pmid=18828281|bibcode=2008Ambio..37..356H |s2cid=21482406}}</ref>

For threats related to migration, high density seal aggregations were recorded in November 2009 and 2010 CISS helicopter surveys in [[Kenderli Bay]], but the integrity of seal habitat in Kenderli Bay is currently threatened by an imminent large-scale coastal resort development.  This resort development can be a serious disturbance for seals. The local authorities have been advised about the need to preserve the seal habitats in the bay, but it is not yet clear what steps are planned to achieve this. According to the present studies, Kenderli Spit plays an important role for the seasonal migration of the Caspian seals and is recommended to be a protection area.

In December 2022, a [[2022 Caspian seal die-off|substantial die-off]] was reported, with initial reports of 700 corpses later revised upwards to 2,500. The cause is unknown.<ref name=bbc/>