Dolphins appear in the waters near Haimen district, Nantong, Jiangsu province on June 24. [Photo/WeChat account: haimenfabu]

On June 24, a spectacular scene unfolded as a pod of dolphins were seen surfing the waves in the waters near the 20,000-ton general-purpose dock in Dongzao Port, Haimen district, Nantong, Jiangsu province.

About eight or nine dolphins surfaced, playfully leaping and splashing in the water, and sometimes chasing schools of fish.

The dock workers, excited by the rare sight, quickly took out their phones to capture the moment, noting that it is exceptionally rare to see such a scene up close. A similar sighting occurred in 2022.

Dolphins are classified as a national second-level protected animal in China. These social creatures prefer to live in groups and are mainly found in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea. Dolphins have very stringent requirements when it comes to water quality, making them a good barometer of the health of a marine ecosystem.

Their appearance in Haimen is largely due to recent environmental protection efforts, indicating that the long-term fishing bans and the conservation of marine fishery resources have been effective, according to local authorities.