Rare sea lion species spotted in succession off South Korea's coast, raising conservation concerns

A rare and endangered sea lion was spotted twice in two days along the coast of South Korea. According to a report by the Ulsan Coast Guard on the 13th, at around 9:10 a.m., the sea lion was spotted at Ulsan City's Ulsan Bay.
A ship sailing near Jindo Port in Seosaeng-myeon, Jindo-gun, discovered a sea lion resting on a buoy on the sea and immediately reported it to the Korea Maritime Police. As a result of an investigation by the Korea National Institute of Fisheries Science and Technology, the sea lion was declared extinct by the Korean Ministry of Environment.
It was confirmed that the species was a designated endangered species. When the Maritime Police arrived on the scene, the sea lion sensed the people's gazes, quietly left the scene, and disappeared into the sea.
On the previous day, at 1:26 pm on the 12th, another ship discovered a sea lion resting on a yellow buoy off the coast of Dongbaek Port in Gijang County, Busan.
The sea lion was caught between two structures, and the Ulsan Coast Guard responded to the incident and helped it safely return to the sea. An Ulsan Coast Guard official said, "Sea lions have been spotted twice in nearby waters.
"However, it was not possible to confirm whether it was the same sea lion. There is growing interest in (the sea lion) as it is an endangered species that is rarely seen in the ocean."