A shoal in the northeast Bohai Sea gets some migrants who are not afraid to battle against the current.
渤海东北部的一座小沙洲迎来了逆向而行的迁徙者。
They are spotted seals.
它们是斑海豹。
Every December, they come down from the Bering Sea, and cross the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Strait, to rest up on the shoals west of the Liaodong Peninsula.
每年十二月,它们中的先行者就会从白令海出发,穿越黄海和渤海海峡,来到辽东半岛西侧的小沙洲。
There, they wait for the signal to head further north to their calving grounds.
在这里,它们等待能够去往更北边产仔地的信号。
In mid-January, the temperature in the estuary of the Liaohe River drops to minus 15 degrees Celsius.
一月中旬,辽河入海口的气温已降到了零下15摄氏度。
The river surface is completely frozen over.
整个辽河河面都被冻住了。
The vast offshore area near the estuary also gradually ices up.
入海口外围广阔的近岸海域也渐渐封冻。
The continuous low temperature drives the sea ice to expand.
持续低温之下,海面上浮冰范围继续扩大。
Around China, the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea are among the few sea areas with large areas of continuous sea ice.
渤海和黄海是中国少有的能形成连片海冰的海域。
The Liaodong Bay in the north of the Bohai Sea has the longest ice period.
而地处渤海北部的辽东湾冰期最长。
The outer edge is 80 nautical miles off shore.
在这里,浮冰的外缘线甚至能扩展到80海里。
On the solid ice, a seal pup is rubbing its fine fur in the snow.
就在坚实的冰面上,一只小海豹正努力用冰雪擦拭身上的胎毛。
It was born less than 30 minutes ago, and its fur is still wet.
它出生还不到半个小时,胎毛还湿着。
The mother has not yet recovered from the effort in giving birth.
海豹妈妈还没从生产的疲惫中恢复过来。
Two male seals arrive.
两只公海豹悄悄来到了这里。
The pup is hungry and wet all over.
小海豹又湿又饿。
The male seals won't attack the pup.
新来的公海豹并不会捕杀小海豹。
In order to win its mother's favor, they even extend it an invitation.
而且为了能够接近海豹妈妈,它们竟对小海豹发出了邀请。
This attracts the attention of the mother.
这一幕引起了海豹妈妈的注意。
Now, all her attention is on her baby.
现在她的全部心思都在小海豹身上。
The male seals have no choice but to leave in disappointment.
公海豹只好悻悻离去。
The spotted seal inhabits the northern and western Pacific Ocean.
斑海豹主要生活在太平洋的北部和西部海域。
It's the only pinniped that breeds in China's waters.
是唯一在中国海域繁殖的鳍足类哺乳动物。
Most only come back in winter.
大部分只在冬天洄游到这片海域。
The frozen Bohai Sea is where they can give birth and rest.
冰封的渤海是它们的故乡,在这里它们可以放心地产仔、休息。