FlyOverChina | Spotted seals inhabiting the Liaodong Bay in NE China's Liaoning

PANJIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- As temperature rises, spotted seals inhabiting the Liaodong Bay in Panjin City, Liaoning Province, are entering their active period.

Liaodong Bay, which is situated at the northernmost end of the ice-covered area in Chinese waters, represents the southernmost breeding area among the eight breeding zones for spotted seals worldwide.

Designated as a national first-level protected wildlife species, spotted seals are the only pinniped marine mammals that breed in Chinese waters.

According to statistics, the population of spotted seals in Liaodong Bay has shown a steady upward trend year by year. It is estimated that this year's population will increase by about 20% compared to last year.