Rare sea lion spotted in NE China

SHENYANG -- On Wednesday morning, "Xiao Wei," a Steller sea lion, swam back onto the jetty after glutting itself with delicacies under the water, stretching itself and sniffing around with ease.

It had been three days since Xiao Wei made a stop in the coastal city of Dandong, in Northeast China's Liaoning province.

At 8 am on Monday, while patrolling, police at the Dandong port found it lying beside the sea, and reported it to the superior administrative and marine fishery departments. Meanwhile, they sent recorded video clips to Zhou Jinfeng, an expert at the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, who gave the sea lion this nickname.

The Steller sea lion, also known as the northern sea lion, is named after the naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, who first described the species in 1741. Zhou said it is rarely seen in Chinese waters and has been written in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, due to its decline in populations.

Before it showed up in Dandong, Xiao Wei was spotted in two other northern coastal cities: Tangshan on June 25 and Yantai on July 3 respectively. To ensure everything during this special guest's stay in Dandong goes smoothly, the city has been providing all-around services for Xiao Wei.

"We didn't find any wound on its body and cordoned off the scene to keep the crowds and vessels away. We also bought some fish to feed it, and it just took a cozy rest after eating," said Guo Wenqiang, a police officer from the exit and entry frontier inspection station of Dandong Port.

"I came here yesterday and did a body examination on Xiao Wei, finding nothing abnormal," said Lu Zhichuang, with the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute. "It should be watched under protection at the moment and may well go back to the sea after a good rest."

"The seawater at the port is deep, with abundant fish species, so the sea lion will have no trouble while preying," said Yu Changyue, with a local fishery service center. "Xiao Wei won't be disturbed or hungry during its stay in Dandong."