HAIKOU, July 9, (Xinhua) -- 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 in 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 a thorough investigation and discussion by experts.
Based on the information of a signal device attached to 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 an important reference for marine rescue work.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
