KPC3324-3327: Protected Marine Species

The Korea Post is introducing a new series of stamps featuring domestic protected marine wildlife that have been designated as such by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which came following a sharp drop in the wildlife population due to indiscriminately overfishing or incidental catching, as well as the reduction of natural habitat brought on by environmental pollution.

Despite the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) being evenly dispersed along the Indian and Western Pacific ocean coastline, there are only around 110 bottlenose dolphins currently located off the shores of Jeju Island. They are classified as a mid-sized dolphin, typically growing up to a maximum length of 2.7m and reaching upwards of 230kg. Unfortunately, since their natural habitat is located within 1km of Jeju Island shores, it runs the risk of being irreparably destroyed with excessive development along the coastline. Each dolphin carries a characteristic scar on its dorsal fin, allowing for it to be distinguishable among the rest.

Finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) also thrive within shallow ocean water off the coast of the Asian continent and can be found along the western and southern coastlines of South Korea, yet are typically known for fleeing from approaching vessels, making them difficult to spot. Unlike other dolphin species, they are missing a dorsal fin and have characteristic features including a rounded, stumpy head. An estimated 15,000 finless porpoise are located off the shores of the western coastline alone, however, as many as 1,000 per year have been dying after becoming tangled up in fishing nets, resulting in a plummeting trend in number.

Spotted seals (Phoca largha) had once occupied the entire western coastline area with a population of 8,000, yet following the destruction of their natural habitat arising from the overfishing in Chinas Liaodong Bay area, their breeding grounds, and the commercialization of spotted seals to manufacture them into leather products, medicinal ingredients and meat, only 1,200 are said to remain currently. Baengnyeongdo Island maintains a beneficial habitat for them, resulting in over 300 seals coming to temporarily live at the Mulbeom Rock, Yeonbong Rock and Dumujin Point, before leaving to their final destination in Liaodong Bay.

Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) are dispersed throughout the northern pacific polar and temperate regions. The Tyuleniy Island, located near Korea in the Sea of Okhotsk, is home to 100,000 Northern fur seals, who migrate to distant ocean waters every late autumn following the passing of the breeding season to live on their own. Younger Northern fur seals can often be spotted in Korea during the winter or early spring seasons off the coastline of Gangwon-do. Occasionally, rescue efforts are performed for seals found with inflicted injuries, having transported them to designated marine wildlife specialists and agencies for immediate treatment.