Baikal seals are unique animals, scientifically speaking, endemic. This species of freshwater seal lives only in the water area of the deepest and most ancient lake on the planet, in the purest waters of Lake Baikal.
The life routine of a seal is simple to genius: if it does not sleep under water until there is enough oxygen in its lungs, does not mess around on the coastal stones, it means that it hunts, leisurely surfing its possessions in search of food. The favorite delicacy of the seal is crustaceans, molluscs and the viviparous fish golomyanka. They seem to be created for each other, because the golomyanka is registered only on Lake Baikal. But the omul, which is so popular with tourists, is not very attractive to the seal - you still need to catch up with it. But if suddenly on her way there are fishing nets stuffed with this fish, the cunning guy will not resist such a temptation and will arrange a feast for himself, leaving the fishermen with a nose. Sometimes greed kills the mischievous women: they themselves get entangled in the nets, becoming easy prey.
A healthy seal has all the signs of obesity, because fat protects against hypothermia and damage, makes it easy to stay on the surface of the water and helps to survive hungry times.
Despite its impressive size (an adult seal can weigh from 50 to 120 kg), hiding from danger, it is still capable of demonstrating incredible maneuverability and developing considerable speeds, up to 25 km / h. A serious threat to these animals is posed by poachers who, in their pursuit of silver fur, do not hesitate to break the law.
Baikal seals are most vulnerable in late winter - early spring, when replenishment is expected in their family. Every year at this time, on the snow-covered surface of the lake, females, caring mothers, prepare a closed ice hole for future offspring with an outlet inside, through which the shelter communicates with water. Seals always make such holes in winter, breaking the ice with their claws, in order to rise to the surface every half hour and replenish the supply of oxygen.
In this simple shelter, a puppy, this is how a newborn baby is called, is warm and safe: birds of prey, capable of pecking in an open space, will not get to him here, mother's milk will allow the cub to grow stronger and stock up on fat, and the walls of the den will maintain a comfortable temperature inside. Almost all the time he is under the supervision of a single mother, who is absent only for hunting. The father does not take part in the life of the family, playing the role of the "inseminating bull".
Spring comes into its own and can bring danger. The ice shelter begins to collapse under the sun's rays, and the kumutkan, which in Evenki translates as “baby seal,” first creeps out into the light, finding itself in the face of a world unfamiliar to him. In this case, nature has provided only one means of protection - the snow-white color of the fur coat for camouflage in the snow. But will this save you from poachers driven by greed for profit? Looking into the eyes of these small, touching and defenseless creatures, it is difficult to imagine that there are hands that can bring clubs over their heads. It is this weapon that is most often used for slaughtering seals - any other can damage valuable fur.
Since ancient times, local residents have eaten seal meat. Especially appreciated was the tender meat of khubunks, one-month-old cubs, which tasted like chicken meat. It is devoid of a fishy aftertaste, because their entire menu consists of mother's milk. Fur seals are older, adolescents who survived the first molt while still in the den or already on the ice floes during the ice drift, went to the manufacture of clothes, high fur boots, mittens. As they grow older, young seals, mastering the water element, switched to a fish diet. Their meat acquired a characteristic fishy smell and ceased to be appreciated. Adults were attracted only by fat, which was used to fill lamps and used for medicinal purposes.
Until the 80s of the last century, industrial hunting for the Baikal seal was allowed. This theme was reflected in his work by the poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko, having written the piercing "Ballad of seals". Now fishing for the Baikal seal is officially prohibited: the mammal is captured on the pages of the Red Book as an endangered species.
On March 15, the whole world celebrates the Day of Protection of Seals, and on 25 May, a similar holiday, the Day of Protection of the Seal, is held in the Irkutsk Region and Buryatia. In order to educate and draw attention to environmental problems related to seals, they organize demonstrations, photo exhibitions, actions, and flash mobs.
Perhaps such measures will help preserve this unique inhabitant of the lake, one of the most important links of the Baikal ecosystem.
