More than 140 dead seals were washed away

irkoetsk - https://www.telegraaf.nl/images/900x600/filters:format(jpeg):quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/4513c520-c135-11e7-a519-971c7144a89f.jpg

All found cadavers are of 'mature and powerful animals, 80 percent are pregnant females', according to the statement. Experts have been looking for the cause of mass mortality for several days.

The Baikal rob is one of the few seals living in fresh water. Over six hundred kilometers in length and depth of more than 1600 meters, Baikal is the largest freshwater reservoir in the world and a popular tourist destination.

The Russian authorities estimate the population of Baikal seals at around 128,000. Since 1980, the catch on seals has been strictly regulated.