REFLEKTOR / SPOTLIGHT
Čudesni svet najmanje foke The wonderous world of the smallest seal U tihom, slanom prostranstvu Kaspijskog mora živi jedno od najneobičnijih i najugroženijih morskih bića na svetu – kaspijska foka / The tranquil, brackish expanse of the Caspian Sea is home to one of the world’s most unusual and endangered sea creatures: the Caspian seal K aspijska foka pripada grupi takozvanih bezuhih jer ima samo male otvore sa strane glave, što joj daje taj neodoljivo okruglast, mekan izraz lica. One su ujedno i jedne od najmanjih foka. Odrasli primerci retko prelaze 140 centimetara dužine i najčešće teže između 50 i 80 kilograma. U poređenju sa svo- jim rođacima iz ledenih okeana, deluju gotovo krhko i nežno – kao da ih je priroda namerno umanjila za život u zatvore- nom, izolovanom svetu Kaspijskog mora. Iza te pitome spoljašnjosti krije se izuzetna izdržljivost. Ove foke su savršeno prilagođene ekstremima – od ledenih zimskih dana, kada severni deo mora postaje čvrsta, bela po- zornica njihovog života, do letnjih vrućina koje zagrevaju plit- ke vode. Upravo zima donosi im najnežnije, ali i najvažnije trenutke. Ženke izlaze na led kako bi na svet donele mladun- ce, koje skrivaju u malim snežnim jazbinama. Bebe se rađaju sa gustim, belim krznom, gotovo paperjastim, i u tim prvim nedeljama života izgledaju kao male, nespretne grudve snega koje tek uče da klize, rone i veruju svetu oko sebe. Ali taj svet postaje sve nesigurniji. Za razliku od većine drugih foka, kaspijske su u potpunosti vezane za jedan ekosi- stem. Zagađenje, eksploatacija nafte i gasa, kao i klimatske promene koje utiču na formiranje leda, ozbiljno ugrožavaju njihov opstanak. Bez stabilnog ledenog pokrivača, mladunci gube svoje prvo utočište – mesto gde su najbezbedniji. Zbog svega toga populacija kaspijskih foka je u značaj- nom padu i danas se smatra ugroženom. Ipak, njihova pri- ča nije samo priča o nestajanju već i o pokušajima da se stva- ri promene. Naučnici i organizacije iz zemalja koje okružuju Kaspijsko more ulažu napore da zaštite njihova staništa i oču- vaju ovu jedinstvenu vrstu – jedine morske sisare koji čitav ži- vot provode u jednom zatvorenom moru. Možda je baš u toj izolaciji i njihova posebna čar. Kas- pijske foke su mali, tihi simbol jednog sveta koji lako zabo- ravimo. I dok negde na zaleđenoj površini mora jedno belo, bezuho mladunče pravi svoje prve pokrete, teško je ne po- misliti koliko je važno da ih sačuvamo. Ovi slatkiši moraju i zaslužuju da traju.
T he Caspian seal is classified among so-called “ear- less” pinnipeds, as it has only small openings on the side of its head, which give it that irresisti- bly “round” facial expression. They are among the smallest seals. Adult specimens rarely exceed a length of 140 centimetres and usually weigh between 50 and 80 kilograms. Compared to their icy ocean cousins, they seem almost frail and delicate – as if nature deliberately shrank them to fit the closed and isolated world of the Caspian Sea. This seal’s timid exterior hides extraordinary durabili- ty. They are perfectly adapted to extremes - from freezing win- ter months, when the sea’s northern areas become home to the icebergs that are vital to these creatures, to sweltering summer days that warm the shallows. It is winter that brings the tender- est and most important moments in their lives, as it is then that the females head onto the ice to give birth to pups, which they hide in small snow dens. The pups are born with thick, white fur that’s almost like fluff, and in those first weeks they resemble small, clumsy snowballs as they learn to slide, dive and trust the world around them. But that world is becoming increasingly uncertain. Unlike most other seals, Caspian seals are tied to a single ecosystem. Their survival is seriously threatened by pollution and intensive oil and gas exploitation, but also climate change that’s reducing the formation of ice. Without stable ice cover, the pups lose their first refuge – where they are safest. This has all led to significant declines in populations of the Caspian seal, which is today considered endangered. However, their story is not only one of disappearance, but also one of try- ing to make change. Namely, scientists and organisations from the countries that surround the Caspian Sea are striving to pro- tect seal habitats and preserve this unique species – represent- ing the only marine mammal to spend its entire life in one land- locked sea. And it is perhaps in that very isolation that their special charm lies. Caspian seals are a small and silent symbol of a world that we are easily forgetting. And as some earless pup takes its first stuttering slides on some floating ice, it’s hard not to think about how important it is that we preserve them. These cuties deserve to persevere and simply must be allowed to do so.
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