At 7:30 am on March 4, 2019, the Director of “China Spotted Seal Conservation Area · Panjin” Tian Jiguang received a phone call from fisherman Lao Xiao. During the call, Lao Xiao told Director Tian that he had saved a spotted seal pup stranded in the mudflat. This is exciting news because this spotted seal pup is the second seal pup that has been saved by China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF). Now CBCGDF’s spotted seal work team is busy arranging recusing measures to help this little pup.

Director Tian has almost been a household name among locals in Panjin, for his incessant caring for endangered marine animals and readiness to help them out of the existent predicament. In fact, as early as 2013, Director Tian had willingly posted his private phone number as the emergency call number on a notice board by the sea, which was erected by the Spotted Seals Association and intended to propagate law knowledge. Touched by his all-out devotion, CBCGDF, when establishing its China Conservation Area in Panjin, or its China Conservation Area for something at somewhere (CCAfa), decided to appoint Tian as its Director without any hesitation. This was a welcoming decision for both: On one hand, since the founding of its first site in Changyuan for Great Bustard, CBCGDF’s CCAfa system has never neglected an opportunity to make the best of local sources — indigenous residents, volunteers, government officials, and research groups — for the benefit of biological species on the verge of extinction. So far, CBCGDF’s CCAfa has become a contributing force protecting the life of endangered species alongside China’s official system of protected areas; On the other, with full support from CBCGDF, director Tian would have more leeway in realizing his lifelong pursuit of practically doing something for those who he really cares.

The first time receiving Lao Xiao’s call, volunteers at the Spotted Seals Association, including Wang Lijun, Su Yan, Tai Pingyang and Xiao Ni, together with the Director of “China Great Bustard Conservation Area · Jinzhou” Yu Lian and representatives from the Fishing Administrative Authority, ran to the Nan Xiaohe waters, where they found the rescued seal pup and delivered it to the Spotted Seals Belay Station located in the Liao River Outlet Nature Reserve.

This saved seal pup was born prematurely. According to Lao Xiao, it kept crawling around out of fear. There were minor scraps on its fin. To avoid being further wounded, Lao Xiao kept this seal pup in a fishing net. “But it still displayed stress response and roared when we were trying to approach it”, said one volunteer.

Volunteers from the Spotted Seals Association highly appreciated Lao Xiao’s positive contribution to saving spotted seals and gave him a bonus of 1000 Yuan. Lao Xiao was deeply moved by this and said that “every fisherman in the People’s Republic of China has the responsibility to protect him (the seal pup) and rescue him out of danger”.

Currently, this seal pup is being taken good care of at the Belay Station. The Head of the station Li Chunku told us that high wind due to earlier warming this year may be the primary factor for the pup’s separation from his mom. Compared with its pup, mother seal is larger in size, which enables her to dive deeper in water. Even if she saw her pup get stranded on shore, she would be able to do little and have to be parted from her child.

Seeking better-rescuing facilities for the seal pup, the Belay Station has contacted staff at Dalian Water Conservation Institute. There it is expected to be fed by expert professionals. It is hoped by all that one day when fully prepared in terms of its survival ability in the wild, this seal pup will once more enjoy the bliss of being released back into the sea and enjoying the freedom uniquely endowed by the open sea environment.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

By / Lu Lei