In Liaodong Bay, Liaoning Province, the population of wild spotted seals has climbed to over 800, marking a new record. Each spring, as ice melts at the Liaohe River estuary, the seals return to breed, making this area the southernmost breeding ground for the species. Once nearly wiped out due to environmental damage in the early 2000s, their recovery has been driven by stronger protection efforts, daily patrols and scientific monitoring.