Seal deaths remain a mystery

The government of Kazakhstan has sent a special commission to the shores of the Caspian sea to try to discover what's killing the region's seal population.

Thousands of seals have been found dead this month but the cause remains a mystery. In one of the two areas worst affected, Mangistau, officials say that around three thousand seals have died over the last two weeks alone and a state of emergency has been declared. An environmental official has suggested that the seals could have been killed by an infectious disease, and has said that initial tests of soil and water have ruled out pollution as the cause.

There have also been suggestions of a link with offshore oil drilling,Results from the scientists' investigations are expected early next week.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service