Tyuleny Archipelago

The Tyuleniy Archipelago (Kazakh: Түлен аралдары Tülen araldary, Russian: Тюленьи острова), is an island group in the north-eastern Caspian Sea off the Mangyshlak Bay west of the Mangyshlak Peninsula and about 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) northwest of the Tupkaragan Peninsula, 27 kilometres (17 miles) north of Bautino.

In past centuries many Caspian seals come to the islands' shores, hence the name of the group.

The islands have been declared an Important Bird Area and a National Protected Zone (State Reservation).

There are large concentrations of seagulls and wetland birds, like coots, wild ducks, swans, egrets, and waders in the archipelago during their nesting period.

The Tyuleniy island group is also an important breeding ground for the Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis).

NASA image of the archipelago and nearby shores. Note the size of Novyy Island.
1721 Van Verden map of the Caspian Sea in which Kulaly is the only island of the archipelago that is named.
The archipelago is named after the Caspian seal (Pusa caspica)