At least 2,500 dead seals have been found along Russia's Caspian Sea coastline in the province of Dagestan, officials said on Sunday.

Driving the news: The Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of Dagestan said in a Telegram post that officials continue to count the number of dead seals, but it is still unclear how they died.

What they're saying: "Unfortunately, the figure has grown significantly and currently stands at 2,500," officials said, according to the translated post.

• "Bodies are found at different locations" with a "large number" showing up in the Yuzbash area and "between the Sulak and Shurinka rivers."

Details: Initial reports on Saturday estimated around 700 deceased seals were found, but upon broader inspection on Sunday, the number jumped up to 1,700, per AP.

• The Caspian Environmental Protection Center said the seals likely died a couple of weeks ago and showed no sign they were killed by poachers, per AP.
• The Federal Fisheries Agency didn’t immediately spot any pollutants, per AP.

What's next: The ministry said it will investigate the cause of the deaths through lab testing.

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