Lake Baikal, Russia's Freshwater Jewel

Laike Baikal (1995): Lake Baikal is large enough to supply the world with fresh water for half a century and is one of the few remaining jewels in the Soviet crown.

The only practical way to get around Baikal is by boat, in weather conditions which can alter dramatically from hour to hour. The lake is more hospitable to its 100,000 freshwater seal population. We find a seal sick bay where the weaker animals languish on a rock. A small seal, with too many wrinkles on his neck, looks unwell and underfed. Many are dying from pollution, poaching and entanglement in fishing nets. Baikal's largest island, Olkhon, boasts a fishing industry and plenty of rain. It is also developing a thriving tourist trade. But as heavy industries pump waste into the lake, the greatest human impact on the lake is pollution. The biggest offender is a Cellulose Plant. A local environmental group complains that the lake's waste treatment centre is often closed. As tourism develops in its haphazard way, there is new pressure for legislation to regulate local industry. But in Russia, money speaks louder than law, and the future of the lake depends more upon good luck than good management.

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ABC Australia - Ref 0165

[Brit]

Beautiful place, been there several times, and never tire of it. In summer it's warm (hot) but cold water and in Winter bitterly cold, but stunningly beautiful at all time. (wife originates from Irkutsk, so we visit regularly)

[Ava_Orchid]

I find it somewhat refreshing that the Deputy Environmental Minister spoke so freely about the pollution going into the amazing Lake Baikal.  I feel that if it was in my area they would be trying to spin doctor it into the plant being good for the lake lol.  I never knew there were fresh water seals and so many endemic species there makes this lake a wonder!

[svetlanaprekrasnaya]

i was born there. my native place. I've been there for 2 weeks last month. love Baikal, love Sibiria, my heart is still there.

don't forget Russia extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe. There are app. 160 ethnic nationalities. Some of them looks like chinees, mongolian... but they could be buryat, chukchi, khakas... It's the same like russian and polish or serbian, we look a like, we are the slavs but we are different.

[HRMOKeefe]

You're right, Australian production, guess those guys down under are better at their Russian translation skills than I am...really enjoyed this, esp the part about it not being as deep as thought, (This video of another?) its in our text books at 10, 000 feet deep 3, 000+ m

[alecsawyer]

Not the only one who's mostly interested in the freshwater sponges?

[movitmovit]

this was an excellent vid thanks so much.

[castillianwagon]

Your comment about other fresh water seals is most interesting.

[speedcrayzy]

this is my favorite lake of the world.
I want to visit someday by Trans-Siberian Railway

[zoonligt]

I don't understand the other reactions or they don't understand the video, I think so. Good luck for your mission and the Baikal lake!

[movitmovit]

for example, the town that is mentioned, ulan ude, has many mongolian migrant workers. some of them stay, as has been happening for centuries. it's a multi-ethnic area and yes, there are of course sometimes interracial marriages.

there are also chinese workers, and koreans in the far east.

[ce]

Magnificent place! So sad even this remote lake is being poisoned by corrupt humanity.

[DB]

My comment below here is of course a reply to people like 100percentcrunk. But youtube placed it on the wrong place. I've been in Canada and it's a beautiful country with frienly people.

[FloridaRaider]

please take care of the lake. Sad to see it ruined.

[VoiajorBRAZILIA]

@movitmovit thanks for the information, buddy.

[bilstew]

All natures children thank goodness...

[yoshi]

man why cant they just leave this lake alone, they have factories on every other body of water, but this one is so special, if russia really cared about the lake they would shut down that mill

[LuisVidrioTipsyConsejos]

@max7studio me, too... Russia is an amazing country!

[castillianwagon]

You are thinking of the Ariel Sea and they still have some of that.

[afnan]

And I thought the videos in 2007 were uploaded only in 240p

[kontrapunkti]

Baikal seal is not the worlds only freshwater seal