Back into the Wild

[Anchor Lead]

A spotted seal that was found off Jejudo Island in May 2011 suffering severe dehydration was released to the wild after five years of rehabilitation and adaptation. Here’s more.

[Pkg]

Bokdori the spotted seal is transported in a wooden chest to the waters off Baeknyeongdo Island.

[Soundbite] "Bokdori, take care!"

As soon as the cage is opened, the seal rushes out into the ocean. After peaking out from the water a couple of times, Bokdori disappears deep into the Yellow Sea.

[Soundbite] Kim Hyun-woo(Nat'l Fisheries Research & Development Inst.) : "The seal is very healthy physically and has excellent hunting abilities. I believe it can adapt well."

This spotted seal was found alone and exhausted in 2011 off Jejudo Island when it was separated from its mother at just a few months old. Bokdori weighed only 13 kilograms at the time, but has since reached nearly 100 kilograms in weight and grown to be 163 centimeters long. After about three months of adaptation training, Bokdori's health and swimming ability were found to be fit for life in the wild. From now on Bokdori will live in the wild in waters off Baeknyeongdo Island, home to the largest habitat of spotted seals in Korea.