@guardian

Photographer Dmitry Kokh travelled to Lake Baikal in Siberia – the world's deepest and oldest freshwater lake – determined to capture the "magical world below the ice". He says taking pictures of Baikal seals – known locally as nerpa – in their natural environment is something few people have done. "Baikal seals are normally very shy, but the young ones are the exception. Nerpa females give birth in March, in snow-covered burrows on the ice," @master.blaster writes in his new Guardian photo essay. "Newborn pups are covered with white fur, are unable to swim and it is impossible to get close without scaring them. "But within a few weeks their fur becomes thicker and grey, and the pup is ready to explore the depths of the lake and the magical world below the ice." Finding a burrow in the vast expanse of the Baikal ice is no easy job, but after a few fruitless dives they struck gold — with the professional help of Pulka, a local dog, seen on slide eight, with years of experience in the job. Swipe to see some of the images he captured this spring of the seals in their crystal-clear habitat. #lakebaikal #lakebaikalrussia #baikalseal #photography #photographylovers #photographyeveryday #wildlifephotography