(Being a critically endangered and rare species, there are no photos for me to post for this article. This is the habitat of the Yangtze finless porpoise, the Yangtze River).
Per the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report from 2022, global wildlife populations have plummeted by 69% on average since 1970.
The fact that this damage was caused in only 50 years, is staggering and disgraceful. That is why I feel compelled to write consistently about wildlife, even though I consider myself a “travel blogger.” It’s now time to look at the sixth most endangered animal as listed by the World Wildlife Fund, the Yangtze finless porpoise.
The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) is an endemic species that inhabits the Yangtze River and its tributaries in China. The Yangtze finless porpoise is a unique species. It also has several distinguishing characteristics.
The coloring is typically a light grey, with a white underside and yellow patches on its sides. It is distinguished by its small size and distinctive dorsal fin. In addition, it has the capacity to adapt to both freshwater and saltwater environments. Its diet consists mainly of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, which it hunts during nocturnal feeding periods.
The Yangtze finless porpoise is often cited as the poster child of the biodiversity crisis in China. It is estimated that only 1,000 individuals of this species remain and they have been classified as critically endangered, similar to other animals we have discussed.
Scientists believe that their numbers have drastically declined in recent years due to pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. In order to combat these threats, conservation efforts have been launched to protect the species and its habitats. One of the most successful initiatives is the breeding program at the Institute of Hydrobiology in Wuhan, which has seen an increased number of births and released porpoises into the wild in recent years.
Breeding habits of the porpoise are not well studied and understood, though it is known that they reach sexual maturity at around five to eight years old. After that it is assumed that the porpoises breed in small groups of two to three individuals, for a brief duration of time as this is the only way they are observed to reproduce.
Another interesting fact about their breeding habits is that the female porpoises generally reproduce only every two years or so. Another species, the Yangtze river dolphins used to live alongside Yangtze finless porpoises, but apparently there haven’t been any dolphin sightings for 20 years.
In order to save the Yangtze finless porpoise from extinction, numerous conservation efforts have been implemented. One of the most successful has been the creation of dedicated conservation areas, where the porpoise is monitored and protected from fishing and other threats.
Additionally, there are several breeding programs in place, such as the one at the Institute of Hydrobiology in Wuhan, which has seen a recent increase in births and released porpoises into the wild. Other efforts include education and awareness campaigns to spread knowledge about the species’ plight and encourage support for its protection.