Finless Porpoise

The Yangtze river’s finless porpoise

Finless Porpoise

The Yangtze river’s finless porpoise is one of the very few porpoises (relatives of dolphins and whales) that live in fresh water.
Its small size and cute 'smile' make it much loved in China and beyond.
But we need to prevent it going the same way as the functionally extinct Yangtze river dolphin, also known as the Baiji.
After years of rapid decline, the latest census shows that the population of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise has remained almost stable in recent years – dropping very slightly to 1012 individuals from 1040 in 2012.
The porpoises are at risk from the same threats that the Baiji faced – including loss of food sources and boat collisions.
Source: WWF Wildlife

The polluted Yangtze River in China

Finless Porpoise
The polluted Yangtze River in China supports millions of people in poverty who are dependent on the river for all their washing, drinking and nutritional needs.
Barely surviving is also the critically endangered Baiji River Dolphin and Finless Porpoise.
Over-fishing using unsustainable methods such as dynamite has degraded the river and reduced fish stocks to the detriment of both wildlife and the people who fish the river system.