Hundreds of spotted seals sunbathe in Liaodong Bay

Hundreds of endangered spotted seals were seen sunbathing on reefs in Liaohe River estuary in Panjin, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The breeding season of the West Pacific spotted seals is drawing to a close, as the warmth of early spring melts the ice in the Liaodong Bay of the Bohai Sea. In recent years, the population of these nationally first-level protected animals has been steadily increasing, thanks to improvements in the ecological environment and heightened public awareness of conservation efforts.　

Statistics show that the number of spotted seals in 2021, 2022 and 2023 reached 181, 253 and 302 respectively in the Liaodong Bay area. According to the spring survey statistics, it is expected that the number of spotted seals in the area will increase by about 20% in 2024.　

Dubbed "pandas of the sea", spotted seals are the only pinniped marine mammal to breed in Chinese waters and are placed under China's class one national protection.　

(Reported by Yu Ruizhai; Edited by Zhou Jing)