Yangtze finless porpoise upgraded to national first-class protected animal.

On February 5th, with the approval of the State Council, the adjusted List of National Key Protected Wild Animals (hereinafter referred to as the List) was officially released to the public. Among them, 65 species of wild animals, such as Yangtze finless porpoise, have been upgraded from national second-class protected wild animals to national first-class. As a representative species in the Yangtze River, the living condition of Yangtze finless porpoise reflects the change of ecological environment in the Yangtze River. What is the background of this upgrade? What is the protection status of Yangtze finless porpoise? What impact does the upgrade have on the protection of finless porpoises? Please see the investigation and interview of the all-media reporter of Hubei Daily.

The number of finless porpoises is only half that of giant pandas.

The finless porpoise, known as the "smiling spirit in the water", also known as the river pig, has existed on the earth for 25 million years and is one of the 13 global flagship species identified by WWF. After the baiji was declared functionally extinct, the finless porpoise was the only mammal in the Yangtze River. Since 1980, the finless porpoise population has rapidly declined. According to the survey, in 1991, the number of finless porpoises was more than 2,700. In 2006, an international joint investigation found that there were less than 1,800 heads. In 2012, it was about 1045. In 2013, the Species Survival Committee of the World Conservation Union classified the Yangtze finless porpoise as "extremely endangered", which is second only to wild extinction.

In December 2017, the results of the last ecological scientific investigation of the Yangtze finless porpoise were announced. The number of finless porpoises was about 1012, and the rapid decline of finless porpoises was curbed, but the number was only half of that of giant pandas.

The reason why the Yangtze finless porpoise was upgraded to the first-class protected animal is because of the sharp decline in its number. The finless porpoise can grow to 1.2-1.6 meters. It is a predatory Yangtze finless porpoise. It likes to live in groups and is at the top of the food chain. What causes the sharp decline in its population?

Food is scarce. The Yangtze River is the root of the finless porpoise’s survival, but with the overfishing of human beings, the Yangtze River, which should be rich in fish resources, has become scarce, which has led to the food shortage of finless porpoises. After 2012, the finless porpoise was basically extinct in Wuhan section. From January 1, 2020, 83 protected areas in Hubei section were banned from catching. In September, 2020, many Wuhan citizens photographed the finless porpoise in Baishazhou area. Recently, the Institute of Aquatic Sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that the first scientific research data analysis of Yangtze finless porpoise in Wuhan section showed that a stable finless porpoise colony was forming in Baishazhou waters of Wuhan.

Ship interference. The Yangtze finless porpoise relies on sonar for predation. With the increasing number of ships in the Yangtze River, the sonar system of the finless porpoise that relies on predation has been disturbed by ships, resulting in poor predation effect and even being injured and killed by the paddles of cargo ships.

The deterioration of water environment. The change of water environment in the Yangtze River may be the biggest culprit leading to the decrease of finless porpoises. The factories in the Yangtze River basin are relatively concentrated, and there is a phenomenon of littering. This kind of sewage is discharged into the Yangtze River, which leads to the deterioration of the water body, which leads to the death of finless porpoises.

The finless porpoise is obviously active after the great protection of the Yangtze River.

In recent years, researcher Wei Qiwei of the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute has been monitoring the changes of fish resources in the Yangtze River. On February 5, he told reporters that the Yangtze finless porpoise was obviously active after the implementation of the great protection strategy of the Yangtze River.

Wei Qiwei said: "For 30 years, the finless porpoise has been on the national second-class protected animal list, and now it is a great event to upgrade to the first class." With the implementation of the Great Protection of the Yangtze River, according to the team’s monitoring, the finless porpoises on the Yangtze River are indeed more active than before in the last two years, but whether the number has increased, it is necessary to wait five years after the last assessment (2022) before organizing scientific research to evaluate.

According to reports, there are three nature reserves in our province, namely, Hubei Yangtze River Silkworm National Nature Reserve, Hubei Yangtze River Swan Island White Dolphin National Nature Reserve, and Jianli City Hewangmiao Yangtze finless porpoise provincial nature reserve, which are responsible for the protection of rare fish such as Yangtze finless porpoises. In Swan Island and Xinluo two nature reserves, the number of finless porpoises has increased to more than 100, and some finless porpoises have not been found in Wuhan before 2012. In November 2019, the reporter accompanied the law enforcement agencies to cruise and found more than 20 finless porpoises in Jingzhou waters. In September, 2020, the reporter accompanied Wuhan fishery administration and public security personnel to inspect along the river, and also found the trail of the multi-headed finless porpoise in Baishazhou section of Wuhan.

In Hewangmiao finless porpoise reserve, Zhuhe Town, Jianli City, several small finless porpoises were born in 2020, which made all the people involved in finless porpoises protection deeply gratified. In November 2020, the reporter interviewed in this area. In less than half an hour, the finless porpoise jumped out of the water six times.

Liu Qisheng, an assistant patrol member of the finless porpoise in Yiling District, Yichang City, told the reporter that he used to be a fisherman, but now he has become a finless porpoise guardian. He is very happy to see the finless porpoise jumping out of the water every day when he inspects the Yichang section. He is a witness after the great protection of the Yangtze River.

At the National "Two Sessions" in recent years, more than a dozen members living in Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Hubei Province submitted a joint proposal, proposing to upgrade the protection level of Yangtze finless porpoise from the second level to the first level. The success of this upgrade, the long-cherished wish for many years has finally come true, and I feel happy in my heart. An expert said in an interview with reporters on the 5th: "At present, the rapid decline of finless porpoise population has been curbed, thanks to the Yangtze River Protection Strategy being promoted in China, the rapid extinction of finless porpoise in the Yangtze River has been curbed, but the road to protection still has a long way to go." Zou Guiwei, a researcher at the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, said that with the promotion of a series of ecological actions such as the regulation of the Yangtze River coastline and the prevention and control of water pollution, the water ecological protection of the Yangtze River has entered a new stage.

Multi-sectoral cooperation lays the foundation for artificial breeding

China’s Wildlife Protection Law stipulates that the protection level of wild animals is different, and the administrative punishment and criminal responsibility of illegal acts are different.

"Legally speaking, the punishment for illegally hunting second-class protected wild animals is relatively light. In some past incidents that led to the death of finless porpoises, no party has been punished. After the upgrade, the act of harming finless porpoises will bear greater legal responsibility." Tian Yuxin, a cadre of the Provincial Agricultural Center, said. "After the upgrade, governments at all levels will pay more attention to it and will formulate stricter protection measures."

In order to curb the sharp decline of the finless porpoise population, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has established eight in-situ nature reserves of the finless porpoise in the main stream of the Yangtze River, Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake, and four ex situ nature reserves in the old course of the Yangtze River. Taking Shishou Tianezhou Nature Reserve as an example, the ex-situ population has increased to about 80.

"The finless porpoise is an iconic species in the Yangtze River and a sign of whether the ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin is healthy, so we should pay special attention to the protection of this species and keep the smile of the Yangtze River elves." Wang Ding, a researcher at the Institute of Aquatic Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, "After the baiji has been functionally extinct, the protection of the Yangtze finless porpoise is of special significance."

Wang Ding, a researcher at the Institute of Aquatic Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the promotion to national first-class protection of wild animals is only the first step of the Long March, and there are still many urgent things to be done to keep the "smile of the Yangtze Elves".

How to control shipping, water pollution and water conservancy projects to ensure that the survival of finless porpoises will not be affected, some detailed rules need to be formulated. After the ban on fishing in the Yangtze River, fish resources will gradually increase and food will increase. However, in the nature reserve, finding a suitable breeding base for finless porpoises requires the cooperation of many departments. At present, China has established three breeding protection groups in artificial environment, and at the same time carried out research on cell culture and preservation in vitro, which have laid a good foundation for artificial breeding.

"After continuous media publicity, the awareness of the whole society to protect finless porpoises has never been higher. However, the protection of rare aquatic organisms such as the Yangtze finless porpoise and the ecological environment of the Yangtze River is a complex systematic project that cannot be separated from the joint efforts of all sectors of society. " The relevant person in charge of the Yangtze River Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said. (Xie Yi, Liu Sheng)