The
Caspian seal (
Pusa caspica) is one of the smallest members of the
earless seal family and unique in that it is found exclusively in the brackish
Caspian Sea. They are found not only along the shorelines, but also on the many rocky islands and floating blocks of ice that dot the Caspian Sea. In winter, and cooler parts of the spring and autumn season, these
marine mammals populate the Northern Caspian. As the ice melts in the warmer season, they can be found on the mouths of the
Volga and
Ural Rivers, as well as the southern latitudes of the Caspian where cooler waters can be found due to greater depth.