More than 50 spotted seals have arrived at the Liaodong Bay's Dalian Spotted Seal National Nature Reserve in northeast China's Liaoning Province, to bask in the sun and spend the coming winter.
Spotted seals typically migrate to the Liaodong Bay between late October and November each year. Over 100 seals travel annually from the western Pacific to this region to rest and breed.
The Huping Island, situated at the heart of the Dalian Spotted Seal National Nature Reserve, is one of the species' primary land habitats.
According to scientists from the local marine research center, so far, over 50 spotted seals have migrated to the waters around the Huping Island, representing about 40 percent of the total number of seals expected to inhabit the area throughout the winter.
With their chubby bodies, large eyes and distinctive spots, these seals were seen lounging on the beach, seeking out the most comfortable spots to bask in the sunlight.
Experts on spotted seals say that this sunbathing process helps them disinfect and sterilize their bodies.
Meanwhile, some seals were observed swimming in nearby waters, hunting for fish, shrimp, crabs and other crustaceans to feed themselves.
The Liaodong Bay is the southernmost of the eight breeding areas of spotted seals in the world. As the only pinniped marine mammal that can breed in China's waters, the spotted seal is listed as a national first-class key protected wild animal in the country.
According to local observation statistics, the number of spotted seals that visited Liaodong Bay in 2021 was 181, and the number reached 253 in 2022. In 2023, there were 302 such migratory seals recorded in the bay, showing an increasing momentum year by year.
To better understand the migration patterns of spotted seals, researchers attach tracking devices onto rescued spotted seals and those bred through artificial intervention every year.
Over 50 spotted seals show up in northeast China's Liaoning for wintering
