Rise in poaching of spotted seals poses threat to maritime ecosystem

The origins of many marine mammals in aquatic theme parks are obscure, so protection should be strengthened, experts said. Xin Wen reports.

Tian Zhiwei was surprised when he saw a spotted seal pup at the port in the harbor city of Tangshan, Hebei province, in February, because the reclusive marine mammal is not usually seen in the area at that time of year.

Exhibiting aggressive behavior, the lost 2-month-old pup stayed in the water for the whole night, so Tian decided to bring it to his rescue station near Jingtang port in southeast Tangshan to keep it safe.