Wildlife of Russia. Eastern Siberia. Baikal. Protected islands. Baikal seal. 4K

Film in 4K format.
At the beginning of March, winter still reigns on Lake Baikal. The ice shell is covered with a thick layer of snow. Baikal seal cubs are born in a hidden snow shelter. The shelter resembles a snow hole with a single exit into the water, so it is not visible from the surface. The cubs grow quickly. After the ice melts, the seals are left alone with the waters of the lake. The Baikal seal is perfectly prepared for living in open water. She does not need to go ashore to eat or rest. The seal swims hundreds of kilometers, never staying anywhere for long.
But there is a place on Lake Baikal where seals can also be found on the shore. This is the Ushkany Islands archipelago, located in the very center of Lake Baikal.
The Baikal seal is the only mammal in the lake. The seal is the top of the food chain in the Baikal ecosystem. The main source of danger is man. Industrial harvesting of seals was stopped in 2007. Currently, the seal population is about 100 thousand heads. An adult seal eats up to 1 ton of fish per year. The main food is golomyanka-goby fish.