Mass death of grebes spotted in Caspian Sea
Thousands of grebes (Podicipedidae) have been discovered dead along the Caspian Sea coastline.
Near the village of Niyazabad in the Khachmaz district, bird carcasses have been scattered across kilometers of shoreline. Local fishermen said the mass die-off was first noticed in early February, News.Az reports, citing AZERTAC.
“I often come here. For more than 20 days, the birds’ bodies have been scattered along the shore. At first, some were still alive.
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They gathered in groups but didn’t move, and even when we tried to return them to the water, they would swim back to the shore and die from the cold. I travel 5–6 kilometers through the area, and every place is full of dead birds. Now there are fewer, as predators have carried some away,” said local resident Anar Mikayilov.
Recently, dead grebes have also been found along other coastal areas and near the Caspian capital. While the cause of the mass deaths may be related to natural factors, disease, or food shortages, experts say the exact reasons will only be determined after detailed scientific investigations.





