Dead pelicans discovered in Kaspiysk in Russia's Dagestan

MAKHACHKALA. March 17 (Interfax) - Local residents have discovered the carcasses of dead pelicans in the streets of Kaspiysk, Dagestan's Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said in a statement on Telegram on Monday.

"There are reports from Kaspiysk residents about dead pelicans discovered in the streets of the city. Specialists of Dagestan's Natural Resources and Environment Ministry jointly with their counterparts from the local veterinary committee have already visited the site and have taken samples of biological material, including samples of blood and organs of birds, in order to determine the cause of their deaths," the statement said.

The collected material was forwarded to a specialized laboratory, where a comprehensive test, including toxicological and microbiological research, will be carried out, it said.

A number of experts suggest that exhaustion could be behind the deaths of pelicans, as in those areas of Dagestan, where these rare migratory birds are mainly based, water bodies were covered with ice for a long time, making it difficult for them to get food.