Caspian Seal trip

Hi all

I’ve finally found some decent info on where to see this mammal and would like to try for it in April or May, 2019.

They gather and molt in large numbers in late March and April around Komsomolets Bay (also known as the Dead Kultuk) in Kazakhstan, in the northeast part of the Caspain Sea. It is a very remote area with some oil wells, a Kazakh naval base, and not much else. Don’t know if a long boat trip would be required, very little online information is available. If you google those terms be aware that there is a Komsomolets Bay in Antarctica, which is not the right place 🙂

Short film: Caspian seals moulting in Komsomolets Bay, Kazakhstan

There is also a link to a trip report on mammalwatching.com to an area south of that where they were seen from shore quite often in May, see

Trip Report: Kazakhstan, 2009

I have emailed Machiel Valkenburg at http://rubythroatbirdingtours.com/ He thinks he can arrange logistics to visit the area and see Caspian Seals. This is a bit of a high end type tour company but I am leery of going with someone who might not really be able to pull it off.

Of course, everything else is on the table while there including birds, geologic features and cultural/World Heritage sites. Would welcome some company and to share expenses.

John

Jon, maybe you can put this on the join a trip page.