Panjin City, Liaoning Province, northeast China - March 23, 2017
1. Various of spotted seals resting on shore
2. Various of spotted seal moving up, other seals resting
3. Spotted seals resting
4. Spotted seals crawling to water
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Feng Dazhi, fisherman:
"When seals lying on the shore, fishing boats will take a devious route from here and try not to startle them."
6. Various of spotted seals looking around
7. Various of police officer on boat
8. Spotted seals crawling to water
9. Spotted seals swimming
10. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yan Jiafu, instructor, local border defense police station (start with shot 9/partially overlaid with shot 11):
"The number of spotted seals usually peaks in mid-March. Now, there are about a hundred of wild spotted seals behind us. In recent years, with the joint efforts of departments of border security, maritime surveillance, and fisheries administration, fishermen were organized to learn to protect the wildlife through leaflets. The protection awareness of fishermen was raised while the population of spotted seals increased as well."
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11. Various of spotted seals looking around
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12. Spotted seals resting on shore
13. Liaohe River

Hundreds of spotted seals are seen enjoying sunshine on tidal flats Thursday at the mouth of Liaohe River in Panjin City, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Among them, there are many white little fluffy pups, either resting and enjoying themselves or looking up with their dark eyes on the shore.

Every February, large groups of spotted seals breed their pups at the river mouth. After recovering from parturition, they will lead their grown-up babies to the Pacific Ocean in May.

It is estimated that around 300 spotted seals breed here this year.

"When seals lying on the shore, fishing boats will take a devious route from here and try not to startle them," said Feng Dazhi, a fisherman.

Spotted seals are the animals under China's first-class national protection. To protect them, the local government has improved facilities, strengthened the 24-hour monitoring of conservation zone and raised public awareness of their protection through publicity and education.

"The number of spotted seals usually peaks in mid-March. Now, there are about a hundred of wild spotted seals behind us. In recent years, with the joint efforts of departments of border security, maritime surveillance, and fisheries administration, fishermen were organized to learn to protect the wildlife through leaflets. The protection awareness of fishermen was raised while the population of spotted seals increased as well," said Yan Jiafu, instructor of a local border defense police station.