China to boost conservation of Yangtze finless porpoise over next decade

This photo taken on Jan. 5, 2025 shows a Yangtze finless porpoise swimming near the lower reaches of the Gezhouba Dam in Yichang City, central China's Hubei Province. The Yangtze finless porpoise is a national first-class protected wild animal and its population status serves as a "barometer" of the ecological environment of the Yangtze River. [Photo/Xinhua]

China has released a plan of action to strengthen the systematic conservation of the Yangtze finless porpoise -- an iconic species of the Yangtze River -- over the 2026-2035 period, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Wednesday.

The plan, which was released by the ministry and several other government departments, prioritizes the conservation of the species and its habitat in situ, supported by ex-situ conservation and artificial breeding.

The Yangtze finless porpoise is China's only remaining freshwater cetacean. It primarily inhabits the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, as well as Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake, and a few connecting tributaries. Its population status serves as a direct indicator of the overall health of the Yangtze River ecosystem.

The Yangtze finless porpoise once faced severe population decline, but, through persistent conservation efforts, the country has successfully reversed the trend.

Efforts will be made to promote stable population growth and effective habitat protection, while fully leveraging the role of the finless porpoise as a flagship umbrella species to advance the holistic conservation and systematic restoration of the Yangtze River ecosystem, per the plan.