How to keep the smile of finless porpoise？

On May 20, tourists watched the finless porpoise skeleton specimens in the exhibition room of the reserve. The Yangtze finless porpoise is a rare freshwater mammal unique to China, and it is a national second-class protected wild aquatic animal. At present, there are only over 1,000 finless porpoises, which belong to "extremely endangered" animals. On the occasion of the International Biodiversity Day on May 22nd, the reporter visited Tongling Freshwater Dolphin National Nature Reserve in Anhui Province. Since the establishment of the nature reserve, four Yangtze finless porpoises have been captured and put into Jiajiang in semi-natural waters for breeding and breeding research. Over the years, the finless porpoises kept in the waters of the nature reserve have been carefully taken care of by staff and researchers. At present, the number of finless porpoises in the nature reserve has reached 10, including two young porpoises born on May 4 and 10 respectively. The finless porpoises raised by ex situ conservation lead a carefree life, but those living in the natural waters of the Yangtze River have a completely different fate. In recent years, due to shipping, sand mining, illegal fishing, climate change, water pollution and other reasons, the ecological environment of the Yangtze River is deteriorating. According to the prediction of researchers, if the ecological environment of the Yangtze River is not improved, the finless porpoise species will be functionally extinct within 15 to 20 years. For the future of the finless porpoise, researchers expect that if the finless porpoise is included in the national first-class protected animal list, various human behaviors and development in the living area of the finless porpoise are expected to be more restricted. "Do not give up in-situ protection, strengthen ex situ protection and natural reproduction protection under artificial conditions" has gradually become the consensus of finless porpoise protection experts.Dr. Chen Ran, a researcher at Tongling Freshwater Dolphin National Nature Reserve, said, "It is more important to protect the original living environment and habitat of this species. In-situ protection is fundamental, and ex-situ protection is a relatively helpless choice." Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Junxi photo

The staff of the nature reserve fed the finless porpoise at close range and observed it (photo taken on November 20, 2013). Xinhua News Agency (photo by Chen Ran)

The staff of the reserve sent the stranded finless porpoise into the river (photo taken on May 4). Xinhua News Agency (photo by Chen Ran)

On May 21st, the finless porpoise breeder injected normal saline into the small fish to be fed with finless porpoise. Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Junxi photo

A mother dolphin swims in the river with her newborn finless porpoise (photo taken on May 9). Xinhua News Agency (photo by Chen Ran)