A large sea lion, classified as a Class II endangered marine species, has sparked interest after being spotted on two consecutive days on buoys off the coast of Busan and Ulsan.

A ship captain reported seeing the sea lion resting on a light buoy near Ulsan’s southern port yesterday morning.

The day before, a similar sighting occurred on a buoy near Dongbaek Port in Busan.

The sea lion was not trapped and returned to the sea when approached by the Coast Guard.

It remains unclear if the same sea lion was involved in both sightings. According to the National Institute of Fisheries Science, the sea lion likely climbed onto the buoys to rest.

Sea lions, rarely seen in Korean waters, are the second largest pinnipeds after walruses and elephant seals. They primarily feed on fish and mollusks but are endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and poaching.

Fleet Chinhae

USAG Daegu