Tyuleny Archipelago

The Tyuleny Archipelago is a group of low-lying islands in the northern Caspian Sea, off Dagestan’s coast in Russia.

Connect

Caspian Sea: The world’s largest inland body of water, bordered by Europe and Asia. The archipelago lies in its northern waters, where low depth and fluctuating levels shape the islands.
Caspian Sea transgression: A rise in Caspian water level that floods adjacent lowlands. Higher water can submerge low island areas and shift shorelines across the archipelago.
Caspian seal: A small seal species found only in the Caspian Sea. The islands and nearby waters are associated with important seal habitat.
Agrakhan Peninsula: A peninsula on Dagestan’s Caspian coast, bordering the Agrakhan Gulf. It is a nearby coastal feature north of the Dagestan mainland shore.
Dagestan: A republic of Russia on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. The islands sit offshore from Dagestan’s Caspian coastline.
Caspian Sea regression: A fall in Caspian water level that exposes parts of the seabed. Falling water can expand exposed land where rising water contracts it.
Caspian seal breeding: The seasonal reproduction of Caspian seals, which give birth on ice in winter. Winter ice near the archipelago has been used by seals for breeding and resting.
Agrakhan Gulf: A shallow gulf on the western Caspian coast of Dagestan. The gulf is part of the same coastal environment as the offshore islands.
Caspian Depression: A broad lowland surrounding the northern Caspian Sea. Its very low elevation connects the archipelago’s setting to the surrounding coastal plain.
Coastal erosion: The wearing away of shorelines by waves, currents, and other coastal processes. Wave action can reshape the archipelago’s low, exposed shores.