A released spotted seal swims in the waters off Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Ten spotted seals were released into the waters off the coastal city of Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province on Tuesday.

Some of the seals had been rescued by the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute, while the others were artificially bred pups. Having received professional wilderness training, the seals are now able to prey on live fish independently and adapt to the wild.

According to Tian Jiashen, who works at the institute, the seals were equipped with an identification code and a satellite tracking and positioning system, allowing the monitoring of their migration paths and places of stay, to further study their living habits.

Under top-class national protection in China, the spotted seal is the only pinniped marine mammal to breed in Chinese waters.

The population of spotted seals in the Liaodong Bay remains at around 2,000 while seeing an increasing trend.