Criminal chain

Poached spotted seals are usually sold to aquariums and restaurants that put them on display, said Zhou Jinfeng, secretary-general of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, an organization in Beijing that aims to protect biodiversity and provide grassroots solutions for environmental protection.

Tian Jiguang, a volunteer who has devoted more than 20 years to the protection of spotted seals, said though some aquariums are certified to breed pups, others - most notably those lacking certification - prefer to rent marine mammals from agents. That raises the risk that they may be obtained from illegal traders, and poses a threat to the fragile ecosystem.

The construction of aquariums is supervised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, while certificates to breed marine mammals are issued by the Fishery Management Bureau, which is overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Each aquarium is allowed a specific number of each species, and they must apply for permission to replace any mammals that die.

"The two different government agencies are separately responsible for the management of aquatic mammals and aquariums, which may create opportunities for illegal traders," Zhou said.

Tian Jiguang said: "Replacement seals can be obtained via underground deals, rather than legitimate channels. So, when a seal dies, an aquarium can definitely find another to replace it because no one will realize the two seals are different."

Lu, the researcher, said genetic testing is an effective way of confirming the identities of seal pups and their relatives. However, the limited number of genetic samples gathered from spotted seals means it is difficult to identify key genetic points among them.