Seals have been seen on the breakwater in Kushiro Port in eastern Hokkaido and near the mouth of the Kushiro River, which flows into the port. They swim and feed leisurely as fishing boats come and go.
　
There are at least two seals in the vicinity, although their species is unknown. They have been seen among seabirds, their heads poking out of the water, bobbing in the waves. When one of the seals dived under the water and surfaced with a fish in its mouth, a seagull approached and tried to snatch it.
　
Kimura Kumiko, curator at the Kushiro City Zoo, says, “Normally, seals do not stay in areas frequented by boats for long periods, so the harbor may be a good feeding ground for them.”