Seals – a rare animal typically found in cold regions – were recently caught in the nets of fishermen in Quang Nam Province.
On May 30, the authorities of Tam Thanh Commune (Tam Ky City, Quang Nam Province) confirmed that local residents had released a seal back into the sea.
A rare seal caught in the nets of Tam Ky fishermen.
Previously, around 10 PM on May 29, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Dung (34 years old, residing in Tinh Thuy Village, Tam Thanh Commune) and several fishermen pulling nets along the coast of Tinh Thuy unexpectedly discovered a seal caught in the nets.
According to observations, the seal measured approximately 1 meter in length and weighed around 30 kilograms. Notably, there were a few wounds on its back near the tail. The fishermen later released the seal back into the sea.
Fishermen releasing the seal back into the sea.
It is known that seals are rare animals typically found in cold regions. Their appearance in the waters of Vietnam is quite unusual. However, fishermen in Tam Ky City reported that there seem to be a few seals living in the waters of Quang Nam Province, as fishermen occasionally find seals caught in their nets.
Previously, in August 2016, fishermen in Tam Thanh Commune also caught a seal, which was later handed over to the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography (Khanh Hoa Province).
The seal was returned to a life of freedom.
In fact, this is not the first time seals have appeared in the waters of Vietnam. Previously, seals have also been caught by fishermen in central provinces such as Ninh Thuan, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Ngai, and Da Nang City.
According to experts, most of these seals are young and belong to the spotted seal species (scientific name: Phoca largha) that inhabit cold marine environments. It is likely that they have strayed from their group and drifted down to the tropical waters of central Vietnam.
