Population of endangered spotted seals in NE China's Liaodong Bay rises

The endangered spotted seal population in northeast China's Liaodong Bay is experiencing a surge as the warmer days of spring arrive.

Located in Panjin City in Liaoning Province, Liaodong Bay is recognized as one of the world's eight key breeding habitats for spotted seals, a species under first-class national protection in China.

During winter, spotted seals undertake a remarkable migration across the Bohai Strait to continue their breeding activities in the ice-covered expanses of Liaodong Bay as the temperature rises.

Tian Jiguang, marine animal research director of Panjin's Wetland Conservancy Association, said the number of spotted seals arriving in the area was 181 in 2021, 253 in 2022 and 302 in 2023, showing an annual increase of about 20 percent as the local environment has improved in recent years.

"The spotted seal breeds in the frozen areas of the Liaodong Bay during January and February annually. Newborns are nurtured for a month before shedding their white fur and gaining the ability to swim independently. Initially breastfed, they will learn to swim and hunt after the first month. Adult seals tend to be more lethargic, often found sleeping on their stomachs along the beach, while younger seals exhibit more vigor, engaging in playful activities near the water's edge," Tian said.

Currently, the Liaohe Estuary has five habitats for spotted seals, predominantly situated to the south and east of Sandaogou Fishing Port in Panshan County of Panjin.

The relocation of these habitats is closely linked to fluctuations in the river's water flow across different seasons, according to staff involved in local spotted seal protection.

"The habitat of spotted seals used to be a little bit north from the Mengtou Area, there," said Li Yue, the person in charge of the area's spotted seal protection station.

"It's a natural phenomenon that the river water undergoes annual flushing in this estuary. As the tide shifts, narrowing the channel and slowing down the flow, the diet and environment of the seals undergo changes. Consequently, they relocate to the area south of the Sandaogou fishing port," said Sun Gang, Fisheries Enforcement Team leader of Panshan County.

Since the beginning of March, the protection station's staff have been working in shifts to maintain round-the-clock surveillance at the Sandaogou fishing port, ensuring continuous management of the seals' key habitats.

"Many fishermen previously traversed through the habitats of spotted seals when heading out to sea. but now, they try not to intrude [on] those habitats and to give seals the best possible environment and space," said Li.

In recent years, spotted seals have garnered increasing attention from society at large. Consequently, efforts to strengthen the management of protected areas have been ongoing, resulting in a steady rise in the observed population of those endangered seals each year.