Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – The Dalian Coast Guard Bureau announced on the 12th that it, in conjunction with the Dalian Spotted Seal National Nature Reserve Administration and the National Marine Monitoring Center, recently conducted a joint patrol across the entire spotted seal reserve, capturing for the first time clear images of a spotted seal population in Liaodong Bay breeding on land.
As the only pinniped marine mammal capable of breeding in Chinese waters, the spotted seal is listed as a Class I protected wild animal in China. The spotted seal population in Liaodong Bay, Bohai Sea, has evolved independently genetically and possesses irreplaceable ecological and scientific research value. Every winter, spotted seals migrate across the Bohai Sea to Liaodong Bay, dispersing to breed in the frozen areas of Liaodong Bay in January and February of the following year.
During this joint patrol, a drone captured images of three newborn pups on a sandbar in southeastern Liaodong Bay. They were seen either nestled beside their parents or clumsily rolling over on the sandbar. The absence of sea ice surrounding their terrestrial habitat confirms that this group of spotted seals breeds on land.
According to Zhang Yue, a researcher at the National Marine Monitoring Center, spotted seals traditionally rely on winter sea ice to give birth, but with climate and environmental changes, stable ice surfaces are decreasing. This successful breeding on a sandbar in southeastern Liaoning demonstrates the excellent environmental, food, and safety conditions in the area, and also showcases the resilience of spotted seals in adapting to environmental changes.
To strengthen the protection of spotted seals, during the breeding season, multiple departments continuously conduct joint patrols, using drones for aerial inspections to monitor pups, test water quality in key areas, and carry out public awareness campaigns, employing multiple measures to protect the spotted seal population. (End)
