The launching ceremony of "2018 International Freshwater Dolphin Day & Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Promotion Month" was held in Nanjing on October 24. According to the first public report by Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Association, the number of the species has risen from less than 30 to about 50.
October 24 marks the International Freshwater Dolphin Day. Yangtze finless porpoise is the cetaceans unique to the Yangtze River, China’s longest river, and known as the "Panda in the Water," as their population is estimated around 1,000.
Yang Guang, president of the association, said that researchers spent 169 days on the Yangtze River and travelled for 10,274.26 kilometers during the scientific research, finding the species 334 times/groups. The group size was between 1-16 heads, 3.67 heads on average.
The home range of Yangtze finless porpoise totaled 82.69 square kilometers in Nanjing, mainly distributed at the intersection of Zihuizhou Islet and Zimuzhou Islet, Sanqiao Hydrological Terminal and Qianzhou Islet.
Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Provincial Nature Reserve was established in September 2014. In order to protect the species, Nanjing has implemented a fishing ban policy in the river’s Nanjing section for 17 consecutive years.
Nanjing has also helped 128 fishermen between the Third Nanjing Yangtze Bridge and Second Nanjing Yangtze Bridge find new land-based jobs in an effort to reduce the fishing intensity and protect the aquatic resources.
Nanjing has invested nearly 40 million yuan ($5.7 million) for stock enhancement efforts and increase the source of food for Yangtze finless porpoise.
