The Yangtze finless porpoise is a freshwater cetacean endemic to the Yangtze River. It is an important indicator species for evaluation of the conditions of the ecological system of the Yangtze River.
By Tang Xiaofeng
As the Great Yangtze River Protection was implemented in depth, the ecological environment of the Nantong section of the Yangtze River has been improved continuously. The Yangtze finless porpoise, which was listed as endangered species in the past, appeared continuously, and played on the river near the foot of the Langshan Mountain. To present the achievements of the Great Yangtze River Protection and let citizens get closer to the finless porpoise, on 12th November, Nantong Finless Porpoise Bay Project was started.
The Yangtze finless porpoise is a freshwater cetacean endemic to the Yangtze River. It is a national class I protected wild animal. It is also an important indicator species for evaluation of the conditions of the ecological system of the Yangtze River. Yangtze finless porpoise is round and chubby, and has a cute expression. It is called ‘the smiling angel’. It scatters from Kaisha Island of Tongzhou District to Port of Qidong. It often appears in the river section near Binjiang Park, Longzhua Rock, and Fanyin Square. From December 2019 to October 2023, relevant departments, photographers, and volunteers have observed in total 372 finless porpoises for 135 times on the section of the Yangtze River.
Based on multiple spacial nodes in the Binjiang area, Finless Porpoise Bay will build a Nantong Yangtze River ecological protection section whose core is finless porpoise culture, to promote the building of four major theme projects which are ‘finless porpoises come by fate, finless porpoises travel in the Yangtze River, finless porpoise culture exhibition, protection and keeping of finless porpoises’, build Nantong Binjiang Finless Porpoise culture and science popularization, research and tourism base, build a highly advanced ecological civilization system, and promote the upgrading and development of regional tourism.
