(HainanOutlook)CHINA-HAINAN-SHORT-FINNED PILOT WHALE-BIODIVERSITY (CN)

(240709) -- HAIKOU, July 9, 2024 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo shows short-finned pilot whales swimming in the waters east of Hainan Island, south China, July 5, 2024. A 5-day marine biodiversity expedition held in Hainan concluded on Monday. Experts state that the recently rescued and released short-finned pilot whale "Haitang" is of good condition. The male whale Haitang was found injured and stranded in the Haitang Bay of Sanya City on January 3, and was sent to the Sanya Haichang Animal Conservation Center for treatment. It was released back into the sea on May 26 after thorough investigation and discussion by experts.

Based on the information of a signal device attached on its back, Haitang shows good abilities living in the wild and adaptability to the deep-sea environment. Within its swimming area, the expedition team spotted a large number of short-finned pilot whales.

According to Li Songhai, chief scientist of the team and researcher of the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), this highly indicates that "Haitang" has already found its pack.

"This is the first short-finned pilot whale successfully rescued in China," said Pu Bingmei, secretary general of the non-profit organization BlueRibbon Ocean Conservation Association (BROCA), who noted that the case could offer important reference for marine rescue work. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

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