Chinese researchers have spotted 11 whale species in the South China Sea during an oceanic scientific expedition, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said on July 28.

The 21-day expedition that ended on July 28 in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, having covered over 3,000 kilometers. It was launched to conduct research on the diversity, population levels and distribution patterns of whales around the Xisha Islands and Zhongsha Islands in the South China Sea. A similar expedition to study whales was launched in 2019.

Researchers on this year's expedition spotted four whale species that were not seen last year: the pygmy killer whale, the false killer whale, the Long-snouted spinner dolphin and the melon-headed whale.

Historical records show that over 30 whale species have been recorded in the South China Sea, indicating that the area boasts a greatest diversity of whale species.

(Cover image: A sperm whale in the South China Sea, July 24, 2020. /Zhang Liyun with Xinhua)

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