Dead spotted seal, a national treasure, discovered off the coast of Baengnyeong Island (South Korea)

On the 25th, the carcass of a spotted seal, a national natural monument, was discovered off the coast of Baengnyeong Island in northwestern South Korea. According to the Incheon Maritime Police Station, no traces of illegal capture were found.
At around 1:20 p.m. on the same day, a report was received that the carcass of an injured spotted seal had been found floating offshore in Gobongpo, Baengnyeong-myeon, Ongjin-gun, located in the northernmost part of the Yellow Sea.
The spotted seal found was 155cm long, had a girth of 120cm, and weighed 65kg. It had already died of suicide at the time of the report. The Maritime Police, who rushed to the scene, used metal detectors and other equipment to investigate.
The investigation revealed no signs of human capture. The carcass was then handed over to the local Ongjin County. Spotted seals have been protected as natural monuments in South Korea since 1982.
It is a small seal, about 1.4 to 1.7 meters long, with a body color ranging from gray to yellowish brown, and characterized by black and white spots.