Chinese state security warn of “spy turtles” and “spy fish”

China’s state security agency claims foreign spies are deploying underwater devices – including turtles and fish fitted with sensors – to collect confidential information.

I’ve been hearing so much lately about countries supposedly training animals to do…well, sneaky stuff! It’s wild, but there have been reports of marine creatures being used for sabotage. One case that really stuck with me was back in 2019 when a Beluga whale showed up off the coast of Norway wearing what looked like a harness designed to hold a camera. People immediately started speculating that Russia had trained it as some kind of spy! It’s crazy to think about, but it definitely got everyone talking.

To counter spying attempts, China has previously rewarded fishermen for reporting suspected surveillance equipment. There are reports that one fisherman received around $73,000 for finding such a device.

China addressed these efforts in a WeChat post

China’s intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security, has announced that a hidden battle involving spying and secret operations is currently taking place.

The report alleges that foreign intelligence services are gathering confidential ocean data using novel spying techniques, even involving devices disguised as sea creatures like turtles and fish.

The ministry reported that large marine animals are being used to gather ocean data. These animals have been equipped with sensors and are swimming in designated areas, sending the information they collect to satellites outside the country.

The ministry claims these spying operations are intended to study naval movements, make detailed maps of the country’s underwater coastline, and keep track of oil and gas resources located offshore.

So, they’re telling everyone working near the coast – like fishermen, scientists out studying the ocean, and anyone sailing – to keep a really close eye out and report anything that looks weird or out of place. Basically, if you see something that doesn’t belong, let someone know!

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2026-06-14 20:19