China’s Ministry of State Security has accused foreign intelligence agencies of deploying marine animals fitted with sensors to spy and gather sensitive data along its coasts.
In a post on the WeChat platform Friday, June 12, the ministry described an ongoing “unseen covert war of espionage” in the waters around China.
The agency said overseas operatives have used various new devices in recent years to collect and steal maritime information.
China Claims Foreign Powers Using ‘Spy Animals’ in Coastal Waters
Among them are what it called “spy turtles” and “spy fish”, larger sea creatures outfitted with sensors that swim in targeted areas, record ocean details such as currents and temperatures, and send the information back to foreign satellites.
The ministry offered no specific locations where these animals were supposedly found, nor did it name any countries behind the effort.
It also listed other tools including detection buoys, a new type of wave glider, and gear placed on ships.
According to the statement, foreign spy services have spent years studying Chinese naval movements, compiling underwater maps of the coastline, and monitoring offshore oil and gas resources.
Scientists Say Similar Tracking Tools Are Commonly Used in Research
The ministry called on researchers, fishermen, and boat owners to stay alert and report any suspicious activity.
This is not the first time China has highlighted such finds. The country has previously paid rewards to people who turn in suspected spy equipment.
Some anglers have received as much as 500,000 yuan, roughly $73,000, for handing over devices, according to reports.
The latest claims come amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where Beijing asserts broad territorial rights that overlap with those of several neighboring countries.
Accurate marine data can prove valuable for navigation, submarine operations, and resource exploration, making the seas a natural arena for intelligence gathering.
According to media reports, tagging marine animals with sensors is a standard scientific practice worldwide for tracking migration patterns, water conditions, and climate data.
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Governments and research institutions routinely attach small devices to turtles, fish, whales, and seals for legitimate studies.
What China describes as espionage could, in some cases, be ordinary oceanographic work that crosses into disputed waters.
Still, the ministry described the activity as deliberate spying aimed at undermining Chinese security.
The post called for more public vigilance. However, the ministry did not produce any photographs, recovery details or technical specifications of the alleged devices.
The idea of using marine animals in intelligence work is not new, and similar stories have surfaced elsewhere in the world.
In 2019, a beluga whale appeared near Norway’s coast wearing a harness with a mount that looked like it could hold a camera.
Fishermen dubbed the friendly whale “Hvaldimir,” and many speculated it had escaped from a Russian naval program.
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Russian officials never commented officially on the incident.
More recently, British defense officials said in 2023 that Russia was reportedly training dolphins for military purposes, possibly to defend its forces or counter enemy divers in the Black Sea during the conflict with Ukraine.
Again, details remained limited and relied on intelligence assessments rather than public evidence.
Lately, accusations that nations are using creative or unconventional methods for surveillance have become common.
The United States and its allies have long expressed concern about Chinese vessels and underwater drones mapping the world’s oceans.
Beijing, in turn, frequently warns of foreign powers probing its coastal defenses and economic zones.
Sensors once used only by universities are now smaller, cheaper, and capable of satellite transmission, tools that serve both peaceful and strategic purposes.
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