Published on: 2026-04-03
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation –
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Today is World Aquatic Animals Day. And we have reports from the field from our experts who have become participants in events related to the rescue of a Caspian seal! The “Protected Embassy” Fund, as part of an international program, is involved in the rescue of this valuable, vulnerable species.
Director for International Projects of the “Protected Embassy”Yulia VereshchakParticipated in the round table organized by the “Baikal” Foundation, under the title “The Future of the Caspian Seal.” Scientists, representatives of the non-profit sector and business gathered to discuss solutions to the problems of the Caspian.
“Scientific play has an important role in species conservation, but equally important are working with local communities and ecological education. It is necessary to create materials on marine mammals, specifically Caspian seals, which will be accessible to various population groups. These can be lessons, games, serious discussions, and media materials that, in the future, will be translated into all the languages of the Tehran Convention countries. It is precisely ecological education that serves as a bridge between science and people, explaining the importance of nature conservation projects,” noted Yulia Vereshchak.
And the next dayBy Polina Grigoryeva, project manager of the fund “Zapovednoe Posolstvo” and head of the project “Living Black Sea”, attended the XXVI International Forum “Ecology of a Big City” in Saint Petersburg. Here, the premiere screening of the documentary film “Soul of the Caspian”, created by the “Clean Seas” fund, took place. This is the result of joint expeditions of a film crew with scientists from Russia and Kazakhstan. The authors managed to capture rare footage of the life of the red-breasted seal in its natural environment, to show the work of biologists and the scale of research activities.
After the screening, the viewers chatted with the film’s creators, expedition participants, and the pilot-cosmonaut, Hero of Russia Valery Tokarev, who piloted the airplane during the aviation expedition “Soul of the Caspian.” At the round table “The Future of the Caspian Seal: Ecological Risks, Adaptation Prospects, and Survival Scenarios,” scientists, ecologists, and public figures discussed how to save the health of the Caspian and its only marine mammal.
In her speech, Polina Grigoryeva emphasized the role of ecological education as a bridge between science and society. It allows turning indifference into involvement. Accessible lessons, games, media materials, and, of course, strong documentary projects like “Soul of the Caspian,” which unite scientists, business, and local communities, are needed. Polina also talked about the “Living Black Sea” project, which the fund implements for the conservation of marine mammals, noting that its experience could be useful for building similar systemic work in the Caspian.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from an information source. It represents an exact report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.