Civilians rescue endangered porpoises caught in fishing nets

On September 9, three porpoises were discovered on the beach of Yeongjong Island. It's revealed the silvery sea creatures swam to the shallow waters during the high tide and were unable to swim back during low tide due to the fishing nets. 

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Upon witnessing the unexpected sight, nearby tourists worked together to safely return the dolphins to the deep side where they could freely swim around.

Coined the 'smiling dolphin' for its smiling facial expression, the length of a porpoise is approximately 1.5-1.9 meters and is classified as a small whale roaming around the northern and western coasts of Korea.

However, the once familiar species to the nation has drastically decreased in numbers from more than 36,000 in 2005 to just 13,000 in 2011. It has been reported that as many as 1,000 are dying off annually due to being caught in fishing nets or other serious injuries.

As a result, a protection treaty has been established to secure these precious porpoises around the world.