Protection needed

Commercial whaling in the 20th century severely reduced the sperm whale population. Today, about 300,000 of the creatures are roaming the oceans, making them a vulnerable species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Li said, "Protecting the sperm whale is a global challenge, because the adult males can travel very long distances, and they are susceptible to threats posed by fishing, ocean and noise pollution, and collisions with vessels."

As there is insufficient data on the habitat and population of sperm whales in the South China Sea, more research is urgently needed to assess their living conditions and formulate conservation plans, Li added.

Meanwhile, it is important to optimize and properly manage fisheries and reduce overfishing in waters off China to save valuable food resources for sperm whales and other marine creatures, he said.

"Since the 1980s, China has made great progress in protecting rare and endangered species in coastal and freshwater environments, but for marine biomes (environments characterized by the presence of salt water) in areas that are deep and far from shore, there is a lack of relevant policies and mechanisms," Li said.

"Fortunately, China has attached greater importance to safeguarding deep-sea ecosystems in recent years, so protecting 'flagship animals' such as sperm whales may be a good starting point for the nation to expand its conservation efforts into the South China Sea."

Li added that if China established a model for conservation in the region, not only would it protect the country's valuable marine biological resources, including mammals, fish and reefs, it would also showcase the nation as a champion of marine biodiversity and ecological sustainability.