Yangtze River Finless Porpoise

Yangtze River Finless Porpoise – Current Situation

Yangtze River finless porpoise is the only fresh water subspecies among the finless porpoises. It lives in the lower reaches of Yangtze River, Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake water areas. It has been living on the Earth for 15 million years. According to the investigation in 2006, there were only about 1200 Yangtze River finless porpoises in the main stream of Yangtze River. The number of the wild Yangtze River finless porpoise in water areas between Yichang and Shanghai keeps decreasing by 6.4 percent every year. If measures for protection of Yangtze River finless porpoise couldn't be carried out soon, it might be extinct about ten years later.

Yangtze River Finless Porpoise – Protective Measures

Due to the water pollution, river siltation, food reduction and some other negative factors, the growth and reproduction of Yangtze River finless porpoise are seriously threatened. The uncontrolled fishing lead to the decrease of Yangtze River finless porpoises in Yangtze River, Dongting Lake and some other water areas. The protective measures for Yangtze River finless porpoise must be carried out without delay. Though it has been listed as an animal under state second-class protection, there is no protective measure be carried out realistically. It is of great significance to build natural reserves for Yangtze River finless porpoise and start the research of artificial acclimation and breed of Yangtze River finless.

Yangtze River Finless Porpoise and Human Beings

Early in Miocene (about 20 million years ago), the relatives of Yangtze River finless porpoise had been lived in Yangtze River. Yangtze River finless porpoise is praised as "living fossil". People started the research on Yangtze River finless porpoise from the 90s of last century. The first reserve of Yangtze River finless porpoise was built in Tongling of Anhui Province and it has started relative research work.

Researchers in Tongling Natural Reserve of Fresh Water Finless Porpoise did a series of research around the alive-capture, cultivation, reproduction and protection of Yangtze River finless porpoise over the last decade. They have gained a lot of research results. The reserve has been upgraded as a state-level natural reserve after the approval of State Council.

Yangtze River finless porpoise is of high economic value. The number of hunted Yangtze River finless porpoise keeps increasing. The uncontrolled hunting, shipping on Yangtze River, construction of water conservancy facilities, water pollution and some other activities of human beings are threatening the survival and reproduction of Yangtze River finless porpoise. The number of Yangtze River finless porpoise keeps declining, just as the declining of Yangtze River sturgeon.